Cursed Shadows
by Majestiiee
Summary: After a group of rouges attack ShadowClan in cold-blood, a sickness sweeps through the Clan and kills their medicine cat. When a dark and brooding young tom named Reaper asks to join the Clan because of his healing skills, ShadowClan warily accepts. Little does the Clan know, their new medicine cat has the scent of death berries underneath his claws...
1. Alliances

**ALLEGIANCES**

 **SHADOWCLAN**

LEADER **Poolstar:** Blue lynx point she-cat with deep blue eyes

DEPUTY **Emberwing:** Fawn smoke tom with bright yellow eyes

MEDICINE CAT **Twistednose:** Cinnamon torbie she-cat with pale orange eyes and a nose tilted slightly upward

WARRIORS **Nettlefoot:** Caramel colored tom with russet colored eyes and one dark paw

 **Flintbelly** : Pale gray tom with a smoke-gray belly and light green eyes

 **Dewflight:** Black she-cat with a splash of white on her chest and amber eyes

 **Pineclaw:** Golden smoke tom with a scarred muzzle, long legs, and green eyes

 **Redsnow:** Dark red tabby she-cat with white legs, tail tip, and muzzle. Yellow eyes

 **Duskspots:** Lilac mink she-cat with turquoise colored eyes

 **Beefur:** Pale gray tom with thick, dark stripes and bright green eyes

 **Wolfheart:** Blue ticked tabby tom with pale yellow eyes and a split ear

 **Poppymask:** Chocolate calico she-cat with a ginger splotch on her eyes, and orange eyes

 **Berrypelt:** Fluffy light amber tabby she-cat with a bright pink nose and blue eyes

 **Mistyeye:** Lilac-cream shaded tortoiseshell she-cat with light blue eyes, one of which is blind

 **Bettlefang:** Chestnut marble tabby tom with copper colored eyes and long teeth

 **Ravenstep:** Dilute caliby tom with pale yellow eyes

 **Mothleap:** Golden tabby she-cat with dark legs and tail and pale green eyes

APPRENTICES **Rockpaw:** Stocky, pale gray tabby tom with light blue eyes. Beetlefang's apprentice

 **Shadepaw:** Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes. Emberwing's apprentice

 **Pebblepaw:** Red Abyssinian she-cat with dark green eyes. Beefur's apprentice

 **Sootpaw:** Black smoke tom with copper colored eyes. Pineclaw's apprentice

QUEENS: **Darkear:** Sleek silver tabby with black ears and hazel colored eyes

ELDERS: **Hollyfur** : Fluffy black she-cat with a white chin and chest and yellow eyes

 **Raggedscar:** Scarred black broken mackerel tabby with deep green eyes

 **THUNDERCLAN**

LEADER **Russetstar:** Dark ruddy Abyssinian tom with dark yellow eyes

DEPUTY **Adderspots:** Black and white harlequin she-cat with ice-blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT **Rainstep:** Dark blue tabby tom with light green eyes and short legs

 **Cloudpaw:** Slender calico she-cat with amber eyes

WARRIORS **Waterstrike:** Light blue pastel point she-cat

 **Brightclaw:** Cream colored tom with white paws and copper colored eyes

 **Icetail:** Golden tom with a white tail, paws, chest, and ears. Light green eyes

 **Ashpelt:** Dark gray ticked tabby she-cat with lighter legs and a white patch on her eye. Light blue eyes

 **Fallownose:** Cinnamon tabby she-cat with a pink nose and hazel colored eyes

 **Lightsnow:** Pure white tom with dark yellow eyes

 **Leaopardface:** Golden and ginger dappled she-cat with dark copper colored eyes

 **Rabbitwing:** Fawn point she-cat with bright blue eyes

 **Firedapple:** Dark tortoiseshell tom with bright green eyes

 **Thornleap:** Blue tabby tom with orange eyes

 **Fuzzyfoot:** Red silver tabby tom with copper colored eyes and fluffy legs

 **Bumblefall:** Black spotted tabby she-cat with deep amber eyes and scarred ears

 **Brokenclaw:** Cream smoke she-cat with pale yellow eyes and a twisted forepaw

 **Oddeyes:** Blue patched tabby tom with one orange eye and one green eye

APPRENTICES **Fallenpaw:** Fluffy white she-cat with brown stripes and blue eyes. Fuzzyfoot's apprentice

 **Petalpaw:** Pale brown tabby she-cat with cream splotches and blue eyes. Icetail's apprentice

QUEENS: **Sunnyface:** Golden she-cat with a scarred face and neck and clear green eyes. Mother of Russetstar's kits: Bubblekit: tiny ginger tabby she-cat with hazel eyes, and Snakekit: smokey gray she-cat with dark green eyes

ELDERS: **Skysplash:** Pale ginger tom with white patches and a stumpy tail. Light blue eyes

 **WINDCLAN**

LEADER **Ferretstar:** Seal lynx point tom with deep blue eyes and tiny ears

DEPUTY **Lilyfeather:** Lilac-cream shell tortoiseshell with dark green eyes

MEDICINE CAT **Mudsplash:** Mottled brown tom with long legs and yellow eyes

 **Crowfang:** Smokey gray she-cat with black legs and muzzle with blue eyes

WARRIORS **Sheepclaw:** Fluffy ginger she-cat with a white face and tail with amber eyes

 **Brindleheart:** Chocolate calico she-cat with pale copper colored eyes

 **Longwhisker:** Golden tom with amber eyes and long whiskers

 **Antfur:** Russet colored tom with dark yellow eyes

 **Weaselnose:** Light amber tortoiseshell she-cat with a narrow muzzle and fierce green eyes

 **Cloudfoot:** Fawn Somali tom with long ears and small paws. Orange eyes

 **Nightstep:** White she-cat with patches of black along her face and back. Blue eyes

 **Briarspirit:** All black she-cat with long fur and pretty green eyes

 **Stripedtail:** Caramel colored spotted tabby tom with a striped tail and yellow eyes

 **Birdcry:** Cream sepia tom with green eyes and a nick in his ear

 **Burnheart:** Red chinchilla she-cat with dark copper eyes and a scar on her neck

 **Streamtail:** Golden shaded she-cat with a fluffy tail and light green eyes

 **Bunnyleap:** White and brown dappled tom with powerful legs and blue eyes

 **Smokesar:** Scarred mousey-brown tom with pale orange eyes

APPRENTICES **Marshpaw:** Sepia Agouti she-cat with hazel eyes. Lilyfeather's apprentice

QUEENS: **Creekbelly:** Pale chestnut colored she cat with a white belly, paws, ears, and tail. Mother to Antfur's kit: Owlkit: Cinnamon tabby tom with hazel eyes and dark patches around his eyes

ELDERS: **Ripplespots:** Black silver shaded tom with turquoise colored eyes

 **Flowerwing:** Tortoiseshell she-cat with a white belly and tail tip and yellow eyes

 **RIVERCLAN**

LEADER **Tawnysta** r: Blue blotched tabby she-cat with dark paws and blue eyes

DEPUTY **Spiderblaze:** Black and white tom with long ears and amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT **Ottersplash:** Dark brown she-cat with darker spots and green eyes

WARRIORS **Clovernose:** Pale gray tom with a bright pink nose and yellow eyes

 **Sagewhisper:** White she-cat with ginger speckles and green eyes

 **Reedfur:** Silver tabby tom with a black face and amber eyes

 **Hawkstep:** Long-legged dilute calico she-cat with orange eyes

 **Poolheart:** Lilac ticked tabby she-cat with icy-blue eyes

 **Volepelt:** Skinny pale brown tom with white paws and muzzle. Dark yellow eyes

 **Twigpath:** Dappled gray tom with blue eyes

 **Violetstem:** Red Abyssinian she-cat with dark green eyes

 **Spottednose:** Fawn tabby tom with a pink and black spotted nose and orange eyes

 **Shelljaw:** Stocky dark gray tom with hazel eyes and a long shoulder scar

 **Tinytail:** White and cream she-cat with a short tail and green eyes

 **Puddlesong:** Brown patched torbie tom with copper colored eyes

 **Shimmerfur:** Solid cinnamon colored she-cat with pale orange eyes

 **Rainthroat:** Blue silver tabby tom with a scar on his cheek all the way to his belly. Hazel eyes

APPRENTICES **Willowpaw:** Lilac chinchilla she-cat with blue eyes. Rainthroat's apprentice

 **Graypaw:** Smokey bicolor point tom with light green eyes. Tinytail's apprentice

 **Stormpaw:** Dappled black and white tom with light blue eyes. Reedfur's apprentice

QUEENS: **Breezeclaw:** Black and brown colored she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Oakrun:** Chestnut colored she-cat with dark legs and face. Green eyes

ELDERS: **Flintspeckle:** Black ticked tabby she-cat with a scarred shoulder and orange eyes

 **Sunears:** Small golden she-cat with dark ears and tail. Amber eyes

 **CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS**

 **Reaper:** Seal tortoiseshell point tom with deep blue, almost violet, colored eyes. Nick in his right ear and a small scar on his chin

 **Alpha:** Longhaired black tom with a shredded ear and yellow eyes

 **Cinders:** Dappled gray she-cat with light blue eyes

 **Blitz:** White and ginger patched she-cat with bright amber eyes

 **Fendi:** Beautiful cream and pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

 **Inferno:** Fluffy white tom with half a tail and a scarred face, and pale yellow eyes

 **Karma:** Deep russet colored tom with even darker paws and belly. Green eyes

 _ **(The majority of information came from this amazing website: /portfolio/housecat-colors/)**_


	2. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

 _ **Hi everyone! I'm Majestiiee/Sydney, and this is, I believe, my fifth Warriors book! I love that soul-crushing and argumentative fandom! Well… without further ado… Here's Cursed Shadows!**_

All around Poolstar the battle raged on with a fury of teeth and claws. She yowled triumphantly as she dragged a cream-and-brown colored tom off of Flintbelly and sent him mewling away with a scar to remember her bye. She checked her Clanmate once before leaping next to Emberwing, her deputy, and fighting off another loner. The leader of the group of loners was a thick-furred, pale tortoiseshell and white she-cat leaped onto a pine tree stump and let out a blood-chilling screech. She snapped a battle order to her ragged group of cats before hurtling herself at Poolstar.

The loner bit down on Poolstar neck in an attempt to deliver a killing blow, but the ShadowClan leader kicked the she-cat cat hard in the belly, throwing her off. "Mange-pelt!" the loner leader swore, gathering her balance and hissing threateningly. Poolstar snarled and circled the she-cat while she watched Beefur sneak up on her.

Just as the leader advanced towards her, she snapped her head back in time to see Ravenstep snap the neck of a sturdy brown tabby tom with now lifeless green eyes. The rouge leader let out a wail and raced towards the dead cat's body. "Simba! No!" she shrieked, burying her head into Simba's thick shoulder fur.

All around her, the battle seemed to stop as the ShadowClan warriors back away from the body, and the loner cautiously padded towards their leader. "Polar? I-Is Simba dead?" a longhaired black tom asked, his left eye sealed shut from a wound and his ear shredded.

Instead of speaking, Polar turned solemnly towards Poolstar, who now stood with Emberwing and her Clanmates. They were a battered group, but the group of loners was no different. Polar had a sharp and burning hatred in her clear green eyes that startled Poolstar. A hatred that deep can only bring trouble. Clearing her voice, the blue lynx point she-cat raised her head, her eyes hard.

"Leave our territory before you lose another cat. We have been merciful this fight but stay away from the lake. You belong in the twolegplace- _kittypets_ ," she hissed icily.

"We're not kitty-" a ginger she-cat screeched, only to be silenced by a lash from Polar's tail. The loner she-cat raised her gaze to meet Poolstar's, her eyes still sparking.

"You have killed my brother and then treat him as a pile of mouse droppings. We will leave your petty excuse of a territory, but mark my words, ShadowClan, my cats and I will be back stronger than the fiercest storm," she snarled softly. Before any ShadowClan warrior could speak, the loners turned tail and ran towards the twolegplace.

"Follow them!" Poolstar order, her fur spiking. Instantly, Duskspots, Poppymask, and Berrypelt slunk into the pine forest and sneakily followed the beaten loners. "ShadowClan, back to camp-now! Twistednose will need to see to our wounds."

As the Clan trudged through their familiar forest, Emberwing limped up to her leader with a concerned look in her eyes. "Those twolegplace cats fought better than I would have expected… I think we should keep our patrols sharp and more often. And I wouldn't want them to be small patrols…"

As Emberwing continued meowing, Poolstar's mind was hazy with thoughts. Polar's words rang in her head until the ShadowClan was sure she had gone crazy. _Stronger than the fiercest storm... Snap out of it, Poolstar! Your Clan needs you!_


	3. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

Reaper shook out his long, seal tortoiseshell point fur and rubbed his deep blue eyes with his paw. The tom had a nick in his right ear, a small scar on his chin, and a long fluffy tail. A young she-cat suddenly rubbed up against him with a flirtatious purr. "We're going to miss you, Reaper… especially _me_."

The tom only snorted and pushed her away. "Back off, Fendi. And the feeling's mutual," he muttered, starting to pace around the bare clearing he and his group called home. "And I'm just glad to get out before the twolegs decide they want this awful side of the garden. Where's Alpha?" Fendi pointed towards a dirty puddle where Alpha, a huge black tom with shredded ears, was drinking from.

Reaper padded up his leader and dipped his head. "It's time I left," he meowed mundanely. Alpha nodded and looked down at the puddle.

"Inferno and Cinders have gone hunting, but I'll tell them you said goodbye. Are you sure you know where their camp is?"

"I'll just keep walking till I smell the stench of rat-hearts and start there," Reaper shrugged, earning an amused snort from his leader. As he dipped his head a final time to Alpha, Fendi, Blitz, and Karma, the longhaired tom padded out of their camp and started towards the forest.

"Don't let Polar or Simba down! Remember them!" Alpha yowled before he and the other loners raised their heads in yowls of farewell. Flattening his ears, Reaper picked up his pace until he could smell the scent of pine.

As he padded through the dense and brooding pine forest, Reaper jumped at every sound, afraid a patrol would run into him before he made it to camp. The stench of nettles and fur overwhelmed him as he drew nearer to an area of brambles and low-hanging branches. A small pool lay near towards what Reaper assumed was ShadowClan camp. All of a sudden, a yowl startled him and caused him to fluff up his fur.

Before he could say anything, a patrol of a calico she-cat, a red tabby she-cat, and a pale gray tom with a dark belly stood facing him with their hackles raised. "What are you doing on our land?" the red tabby barked, her yellow eyes blazing.

"Maybe he got bored of being fed _kittypet_ slop and laying around all day," the calico jeered. Reaper suppressed a hiss and forced himself to calm down.

"I'm not a _kittypet_ , and I was actually hoping to meet you. ShadowClan, I assume?" he asked, trying his best to keep the mockery from his voice.

The patrol stiffened. "We are warriors of ShadowClan… but why's a scrappy rouge like you supposed to care?" the gray tom hissed.

"I'd like to join your Clan," Reaper purred, enjoying the shocked glances the patrol shared with each other. He heard hushed whispers and tried not to fidget in annoyance. At last, the red tabby raised her head and signal him closer.

"We'll bring you to our leader and see what she has to say about your… _suggestion_ ," she sniffed, turning tail and leading Reaper and the patrol back to camp. _These crow-brains have no idea what they're getting into_ , Reaper thought smugly, resisting the urge to unsheathe his claws and dig them into the spongey, nettle-covered ground.

"He wants _what_?" a blue lynx point she-cat with dark blue eyes asked calmly to the patrol.

"He wants to join ShadowClan, Poolstar…" the gray tom, Flintbelly, replied. Poolstar held her warrior's gaze for a heartbeat longer before snapping her eyes to Reaper.

"Why…"

"Reaper," he finished for her, earning a few silenced gasps from the ShadowClan gasps.

" _Reaper_ … why do you want to join ShadowClan? Was kittypet life too soft for you?" she taunted.

"I'm-" he snapped, forcing his fur to lie flat. "I'm not a _kittypet_. I lived with a group of _loners_ near the twolegplace, but I was tired of their way of life; always moving and never settling. Plus, I've seen the way your warriors hunt and fight- it's impressive." He swished his tail pleasantly at his ability to lie through his smile and pleasant attitude. _Don't worry, mother… I'll avenge you and Simba._

Poolstar beckoned a fawn smoke tom close to her and whispered in his ear. Reaper glanced around the camp. _Two old cats near a close-knit pile of branches… must be some resting place for their old and useless._ A sleek silver tabby she-cat sat outside a large and covered den near the old cat den, her belly wide and eye protective of the unborn babies in her belly. _A birth den._ Two dens, one larger than the other, stood near the entrance where warriors and younger cats padded in and out of. _Sleeping dens for warriors and their… kits?_ There was a hollowed-out clearing covered in dry pine needles with the sharp scents of herbs and a cinnamon torbie she-cat with a twisted muzzle sat. _Healer den… just like mine back in the park._ Finally, there was a small opening into the brambles with a large, thick branch overhead- the same branch Poolstar sat now with the fawn-colored tom. _Poolstar's den…_

After more heartbeats of thick silence, Poolstar cleared her voice and raised her head high. "Reaper… you may join ShadowClan under the circumstances that you train as a warrior apprentice for 6 whole moons. Mothleap will be your mentor."

Reaper turned to see a golden tabby she-cat with dark legs and pale green eyes looking less than pleased. Still, Mothleap padded up to him and touched noses with him. She crinkled her nose and whispered in a sharp voice, "Make sure to clean the stink off of you!"

Poolstar raised her voice again. "Reaper, from this day on, until you earn your place and full name as a warrior of ShadowClan, you will be known as- "

"Wait a moment," Reaper interrupted, Poolstar glaring at him furiously. "I'd to keep my name as Reaper. My name is special to me, for my mother gifted me a name of power and dominance." _And death…_

"Very well then," Poolstar growled. "You shall be known as _Reaper_!"

"Reaper! Reaper! Reaper!" the warriors of ShadowClan warily chanted half-heartedly. Reaper grinned widely, relishing his new Clanmates voices _. I will soon have power over all of you…_

"Thank you for taking me on a tour of your territory, Mothleap." He dipped his head to his mentor, while she merely grunted and signaled him away to, no-doubt, gossip about him to her Clanmates. Reaper only shrugged and grabbed a lizard from the fresh-kill pile and padded towards a shadowy patch and flopping down to eat.

Before he could even take a bite, the cat with the twisted muzzle poked him gently. "Welcome to ShadowClan- I'm Twistednose, the medicine cat." Reaper took a bite of his lizard before sitting up and flicking his ears.

"Lovely to meet you," he mewed. "Would you mind giving me the camp tour? Mothleap forgot to."

"Glad to," Twistednose smiled. She sat closer to him and pointed at the old-cat den. "That's the den where our elders, Hollyfur and Raggedscar, live. Apprentices check them for ticks, gain wisdom, feed them fresh-kill, and get scolded by them," she purred. "They may be grumpy, but a Clan is nothing without its elders."

Twistednose then pointed to the den where four young cats were sharing tongues. "That is the apprentice's den. The pale gray tom is Rockpaw, the tortoiseshell she-cat is Shadepaw, the red Abyssinian is Pebblepaw, and the black tom is Sootpaw. They've been apprentices for about two moons, so they'll be warriors before you. And that huge den over there is the nursery. The silver tabby is Darkear, and her kits should be here in about a moon."

"You know everything about your Clan, don't you?" Reaper asked. The medicine cat nodded and smiled before continuing her tour.

"The den with the huge branch over it is Poolstar's den, and the one similar to the apprentices' den is the warrior's den. And finally, the hollow clearing is my den-the medicine cat den!" Twistednose let out a huge yawn and rested her tail on Reaper's shoulders. "I ought to get some rest, and so should you. Goodnight, Reaper."

Reaper watched her pad away before finishing his lizard and walking into the apprentices' den and settling into an old and slightly smelly nest. Shadepaw padded in and settled into her nest beside him.

"Sorry," she mewed sleepily. "That's was Beetlefang's old nest. You can make your own tomorrow. Try not to die from his stink," she purred before wrapping her tail over her nose and falling asleep.

Letting out a soft snort, Reaper curled up into a tight ball and thought about his mother until he fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

 _ **I hope you guys are liking Cursed Shadows so far! Reaper is my sweet son, and I love him. By the way, if you want to see some of my art and some of my stupid thoughts, fell free to follow me on WattPad, DeviantArt, Tumblr, and Twitter under the name Majestiiee!**_

Reaper woke up to see Sootpaw staring at him with his muzzle a mouse-length away from his. He blinked at the black smoke tom drowsily and parted his jaws in a huge yawn. "Yes?"

Sootpaw started at him for another moment with his shining copper-colored eyes before shaking out his fur. "You'll need to get used to waking up early if you want to fit in. Now get up- you, Pineclaw, Mothleap, and I are going on the dawn patrol."

"Do I have time to eat breakfast first?" Reaper asked while stretching out his limbs. Sootpaw shook his head, slightly baffled at the tom's strange words. "After you," he meowed, dipping his head before following the young tom out of the apprentice's den.

Near the bramble camp entrance, Pineclaw and Mothleap sat waiting for their apprentice's impatiently. "Finally," Mothleap muttered before signaling Reaper to fall into step with her as she led the patrol.

As Reaper followed his mentor through the forest, he took in all the scents he could scents. _Frogs, nettles, pines, moisture, and herbs- most specifically blackberry leaves._ The sharp scent of herbs that his nose could pick up reminded him of the moons of Fendi teaching him how to be a healer. _Ah, how I miss the days of slipping in lily flower or blood berries to slowly poison my enemy._ Reaper let out a fond trill at his ruthless memories.

Mothleap snapped her green gaze back to him questionably. He quickly thought of an excuse. "I love being in the forest- it calms every nerve." Though her voice was quiet, Reaper could pick up the taunt his mentor muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, the patrol stopped to a halt at a bare clearing where one or two dying beech tree grew. On the opposite side of the clearing, Reaper could smell the smell of cobwebs, wet ferns, and birch. "What's the smell?" he asked, crinkling his nose.

"ThunderClan," Pineclaw growled. "They're a bunch of arrogant snake-hearts. They think they can control the whole forest with their high and mightiness. You should have seen the skirmish last moon- we definitely sent the mewling home with some scars to remember us bye."

Reaper chuckled at the golden smoke tom's pride in his Clan. Before he could comment, Pineclaw turned to Reaper. "We're going to set the scent markers, you're welcome to try once we show you how to," he offered.

Reaper nodded and watched his Clanmates set the markers before contributing. He felt a small rush of satisfaction at the thought of marking _his_ territory. The tortoiseshell-point tom suddenly pricked his ears and started to stalk a familiar scent towards the lake.

"Reaper! Get back here!" Mothleap snorted, only to be cut off by him lashing his tail for silence. He smirked at his mentor's furious snort before leaping out at a rabbit that crossed the ThunderClan border.

It fluffy creature let out a screech of terror and tried to turn tail, but Reaper leaped and killed it with a clean blow to the spine. He snatched the prey in his jaws and padded back to the patrol. His Clanmates all had surprised expressions, even Mothleap. Before he could boast, a patrol of ThunderClan cats stood bristling at the border.

"That was _our_ rabbit, frog-breath!" a cream-colored tom hissed, digging his claws into the earth. His Clanmates hissed at the ShadowClan cats in fury as Reaper sat with the plump rabbit swaying in his jaws.

"It crossed the border, and he killed it on our side. It's our rabbit now," Mothleap declared, Sootpaw bushing up his fur while standing next to her. "Besides, you were fox-lengths away when it crossed."

"That's not fair!" a cinnamon tabby she-cat cried. "Leaf-fall has been tough already! All our prey is starting to burrow and-" a white tom cuffed her over the ears before she could finish.

"They don't need to know that, mouse-brain! Shut up!" The white tom growled at the ShadowClan cats once more before signaling his patrol to leave.

"Mouse-hearts," Reaper murmured through a mouthful of prey. To his excitement, Mothleap flicked her ear and complimented him on his hunting technique.

"It needs to be improved, but not bad for an apprentice," she mewed. Before Reaper could argue that he was obviously older than her, she turned away from the border and leading her Clanmates home.

As he, Mothleap, Sootpaw, and Pineclaw padded into camp, Reaper dropped his rabbit on the fresh-kill pile. He saw Poolstar look down at him once before continuing her conversation with Twistednose.

"I want you to clean out the elders' nests, and make sure Darkear has enough moss in the nursery," Mothleap order, flicking her tail in dismiss.

Reaper suppressed a retort, but swallowed it and walked over to where Pebblepaw was grooming herself in a patch of cool sunlight. "Will you help me take care of Darkear and the elders?" he asked politely.

The red Abyssinian she-cat hesitated for a moment before shrugging and showing him where to collect fresh moss. As the two apprentices padded into the pine forest to strip the trees of moss, Reaper tried to make small talk.

"Sootpaw told me your mentor is Beefur. I hear that tom's as grumpy as a badger," he purred.

"Don't talk about my mentor like that, kittypet," she sneered, though he could see a slight sparkle of amusement in her dark green eyes. After they had gathered enough moss and Pebblepaw left her bundle at the elders' den, Reaper crept into the warm and comfortable-looking den.

"Hi," he said calmly to a fluffy black she-cat with a white flash on her chest and chin. "You're Hollyfur, right?"

The black she-cat turned her yellow gaze to Reaper before snorting and pointing towards a pile of stinking moss. "We cleaned out our old moss and dumped it over there. Give me the new moss. We'll make our nests since we don't want you to mess up."

Ignoring the old she-cat's stinging insult, he dropped the moss bundle by her paws and prodded Raggedscar gently. The black broken mackerel tabby stirred and yawned. "I brought you some new moss," he meowed happily. He relishing seeing Raggedscar's dark green eyes light up with gratitude.

"Thank you, young'un. Hollyfur and I will take care of the nests. You got take care of Darkear. Thank you!" Raggedscar called out as Reaper backed out of the elder's den and headed towards the nursery with the reminding bundle of moss.

As he set down his bundle at Darkear's paws, he noticed how wary she was of his movements. "If it makes you trust me more, I was a healer at my old home. I delivered more kits than I had eaten mice when I was barely two seasons old," he purred.

"You were a healer?" the queen asked, her tail curled protectively at around her plump belly.

Reaper nodded. "Yes. I had a friend named Fendi who taught me everything I know. My group and I were known as helpers, despite our quite violent nature," he laughed. "We'd always get kittypets, rouges, and loners visit us if they needed me or Fendi to help them. I loved being a healer…"

He instantly left out the part of his past where Fendi and he would sometimes put poison into the remedies they gave the stranger patients who happened to speak or look at them wrong just for the rush. Just thinking about it made his pads tingle.

After helping Darkear, Reaper grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile and settled next to Shadepaw to eat. The pretty tortoiseshell seemed to be his only friend so far.

"Are you settling in alright?" she asked nicely, munching on her vole. He shrugged and started to gobble down his meal.

Licking his lips, Reaper let out an amused purr and shook his head. "It's all so different from my old life, but I like ShadowClan. I hope it can one day truly feel like home." Shadow returned the purr and rested her tail on his shoulders briefly.

"I'm glad you showed up. By the way, I heard you tell Darkear that you used to be a healer! Could you tell me about that?" she asked excitedly. Reaper smiled and began to tell her stories of his past life, his stomach sinking faintly at the thought that he was actually becoming close to a cat in his new Clan.


	5. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

"No!" Mothleap hissed exasperatedly. Reaper panted and stood up achingly. He tried to ignore the smug look on Rockpaw's face after he had beat Reaper for the second time on a basic battle move. Rockpaw's mentor, Beetlefang, watched approvingly while Pebblepaw snickered and Mothleap scowled.

"Reaper, this move is _simple_ ," his mentor meowed, trying to keep her patience. Taking a deep breath, the golden tabby continued. "You need to swipe your tail away from your enemy's jaws and dive under his belly. Then arch your spine and push him down."

Determined, Reaper nodded and turned to Rockpaw. "Ready" he mock-growled to the sturdy, tabby gray apprentice. He replied by leaping for Reaper, who swiped his tail and dove under Rockpaw's belly, then arching his back like Mothleap instructed him to do. Since he had the height advantage, Rockpaw stumbled awkwardly and landed on his side with a huff.

Instantly, Reaper leaped onto his denmate and pressed his muzzle into the earth. "That's enough," Beetlefang called, flicking his ears in approval. "Well done, Rockpaw and Reaper. Let's head back to camp before it gets too dark," the chestnut-colored tabby meowed.

As the ShadowClan cats padded back to camp, Mothleap fell into step with Reaper with a surprisingly pleased look on her face. "I know I've given you a tough time this past quarter moon, but I think you've adapted well to ShadowClan life so far."

Reaper let out an amused snort and touched his mentor's cheek with his dapple tail briefly. "I have a good mentor," he smiled, earning a warm-hearted grunt from Mothleap.

Suddenly, as the patrol entered camp, they were greeted by chaos. Twistednose and Shadepaw ran to and fro from the nursery from the medicine cat den carrying different types of remedies. Emberwing sat nervously outside the nursery while Darkear wailed in anguish and let out a harsh bout of coughing. Reaper trotted up to him.

"What's happening?" The deputy didn't answer him but instead dug his claws into the dirt. Wolfheart, who was sitting next to the ShadowClan deputy, replied.

"Darkear is Emberwing's mate, and something's wrong with her. She felt ill last night and started kitting at dawn. Twistednose thinks something has gone terribly wrong…" Reaper narrowed his eyes and jumped into the nursery.

He saw the silver tabby queen reeling in pain as Twistednose pushed on her belly. The medicine cat's eyes snapped to him, blazing with determination. "Can't you see I'm busy?" she snarled, her focus still on Darkear's rippling belly. Instead of answering, Reaper stood side-by-side with Twistednose and laid out Darkear's legs. "What in StarClan's name are you doing?"

"Helping," he answered shortly, rearranging the queen's belly. "I had a campmate who caught a sickness called dandelion fever, which I was I called it. It's when you break a fever too hot to the touch, and you vomit uncontrollably. Darkear seems to be showing symptoms. Has she vomited?"

"No," Twistednose shook her head. "But she nearly collapsed…" Growling, Reaper began to push down on the queen's belly until he saw the beginning of a kit's head.

"Push, Darkear!" he ordered, massaging the queen till the first kit was bored. Immediately, Twistednose lapped its fur and placed it by its mother's side. After what felt like moons, the second and last kit was born.

Darkear collapsed from exhaustion and let out a rasping cough. The queen stretched out her neck to lick her kits, but thinking quickly, Reaper held her head back. "Don't touch them. Your sickness is too contagious. Contact with your kits could kill them in days. Twistednose, help me take them to the elder's den." Darkear let out a feeble protest but lost consciousness before she could cry out.

Picking up the silver and white dappled tom, Reaper carefully took him to elders to keep warm while Twistednose gave them the tiny gold tom. Padding back to the nursery, Reaper signaled for Emberwing to follow him inside. "What's going on?" the tom snapped. "Where's Twistednose? You're not a medicine cat!"

He laid his tail on the golden smoke tom's bristling shoulder calmly. "I was a healer while I was a loner. Your mate might have a disease called dandelion fever, a disease I encountered while my group and I traveled. My friend and my mother contacted the fever and d-died," he struggled out the last word at the mention of his mother's death.

"How do you know it's… it's dandelion fever?" Emberwing asked, his yellow eyes big as moons.

"I don't since I haven't looked her over completely. But if she breaks a fever, starts vomiting, and continues to collapse… it very well might be dandelion fever. This sickness usually happens when a queen is pregnant, but her pregnancy is irregular and full of ailments. It's easier to contact the fever that way, and it's highly contagious."

"She needs me!" the tom wailed, trying to rush to his mate's side. Reaper wasn't strong enough to stop him. He watched as Emberwing buried his muzzle into Darkear's damp fur. Reaper padded up and felt her nose and pads. They were scalding. He watched her open her now dripping eyes and stare off into the wall of the nursery in confusion.

"Twistednose?" she whispered, sounding like a small kit.

"It's me, my sweet. Twistednose is watching our kits with the elders. Reaper is going to help you," he promised, shooting Reaper a helpless look, his yellow eyes pleading.

"Stand away from her," he told his deputy softly. "I don't want you to fall ill as well." Hesitantly, Emberwing backed away, his tail dropping.

"Can you save her…?" he asked, his voice wobbling.

"I believe so," Reaper nodded. "When my campmate fell ill, I used bindweed, borage, and burnet to ease her suffering. It would have cured her, but I was too late to discover a remedy. And, I can give her feverfew to chew on soaked in crushed dandelion. Yes! Yes- that will work! Emberwing, watch her, but do _not_ touch her!"

Racing out of the nursery, Reaper called for Twistednose. The goofy-muzzled medicine cat ran out of the elder's den and stared at him wildly. "I'm so sorry, I should have been helping you with Darkear, but the golden tom stopped breathing and… and I lost him," she meowed solemnly.

For one of the first times since his mother died, Reaper felt sympathy stab into his heart. _The kit was too young to die…_ Swallowing, Reaper dipped his head respectfully and wished the kit safety where he now walked. "I gave him the name Dandelionkit, praying his name would bring strength to his mother."

"I hope he finds shelter and happiness in his new star home," he mewed respectfully.

"You believe in StarClan," Twistednose asked. Reaper shrugged and led her to medicine cat den.

"My father was a rouge whose mother was once a Clan cat. He taught my mother about the Dark Forest and StarClan, who taught me," he replied nonchalantly. "Now, I know how to help Darkear…"


	6. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

Since Darkear had kitted and fallen ill over half a moon ago, Reaper had worked tirelessly alongside Twistednose desperately trying to heal their sick Clanmates. _So much has gone wrong since Darkear kitted… which I would usually jump for joy about. But I still hate watching cats die this slow and painful death._ Since the first occurrence of dandelion fever, Darkear and both her sons, Dandelionkit and Talonkit, had joined StarClan. Emberwing had been devastated before he too fell ill. Both Shadepaw and Sootpaw were sick, with Poolstar showing promising symptoms.

Reaper had decided to move the healthy warriors to a sheltered area in the forest away from the contaminated camp, which Poolstar had reluctantly agreed to. _I expected someone to undermine my sudden authority, though I think they all realize they need me right now. I know the cure, and I even saved Mothleap when she got sick._

"Reaper!" Twistednose called, snapping him out of his daydreams. The cinnamon-colored torbie was soaking borage leaves in chewed up dandelion pulp before calmly helping Sootpaw chew up the remedy.

"Has he already had some burnet? I meant to collect more, but he's gotten so tiny that I didn't think he needed much…"

Twistednose flicked her tail tip and helped the black tom swallow his medicine. "We'll be alright- but Shadepaw needs wet moss. I don't have much hope for her…"

Reaper growled and started at the medicine den: their leader lay sprawled in a nest shivering violently, Shadepaw had one paw in StarClan, and Emberwing was no more than a pile of ragged fur and bones. _At least Sootpaw is starting to get healthy._

"I'll go wet some moss now then-" he broke off his sentence as Twistednose let out a rough and violent cough before spitting out mucus. His fur rippled with unease. "When did you start coughing?" he asked quietly, narrowing his deep blue eyes.

The medicine cat shook out her fur, but tired at the action and panted. "It's nothing," she wheezed. Reaper wasn't convinced but ran to get wet moss. When he returned, the medicine cat den with wet moss dripping down his chin, and froze at the sight of Twistednose lying on her let letting out tiny, ragged breath.

"Twistednose!" he cried, racing to her side and check for fever. _She's hotter than fire!_ "Why didn't you tell me you were getting sick?" he demanded, instantly reaching for herbs. Before he could start chewing up some borage, Twisted nose laid her tail on his paws, stopping him.

"Save it for Emberwing," she gasped, letting out a choking breath before lying still. For a moment, Reaper had thought she died, but her flanks still rose faintly. "The curses are gone when you look away. Prepare: they lie in wait…" the medicine cat breathed, her voice barely audible before she closed her eyes and convulsed once before lying ominously still.

Reaper started at her, his mouth gaping open. _What did she just say?_ A felt an eerie presence at his side, pushing down on his neck forcefully. Trying to shake off the feeling, and focused on the dead she-cat in front of him.

Reaper bowed his head and wrapped his tail over his paws. He touched his nose to her shoulder briefly and whispered, "Goodbye my friend. You were the first cat to show me kindness when I came to ShadowClan- I didn't want you to die. Farewell, and may you find shelter, good hunting, and swift running," he muttered, reciting the words Twistednose had spoken over Darkear's body.

The following day, after Reaper had taken Twistednose's body to the healthy cats for burial, Shadepaw had stopped breathing and died in the middle of the night. Reaper had to say good-bye to his last close friend, the first apprentice to truly make him smile. Sootpaw had soon become healthy enough to join the healthy cats, leaving Reaper with Poolstar and Emberwing.

The ShadowClan leader was much better and breathing well, but her deputy couldn't seem to pull through. Two days passed before Poolstar was healthy and Emberwing joined StarClan. Instead of grieving, Reaper realized he was with his mate and sons now.

Now, ShadowClan had returned back to camp and Poolstar had called for a Clan meeting. As her cats gathered beneath her branch, she let her sad blue gaze travel across the whole clearing. "ShadowClan has taken a fierce hit from an illness, and we have had to bury too many Clanmates. May we bow our heads for Darkear; a beautiful and kind she-cat who would have been an excellent mother. For her two sons, Dandelionkit and Talonkit; may you have endless days of happiness in StarClan. For Shadepaw; a beautiful young apprentice who would have been an amazing warrior."

Shadepaw's parents, Wolfheart and Dusksposts let out a low whimper of fresh grief, while he littermates, Rockpaw, Pebblepaw, and Sootpaw, bowed their heads.

"For Twistednose; our kind and smart medicine cat. Your name will be remembered for generations to come. And for Emberwing; a brave and loyal who deserved to serve his Clan for countless moons. But Clan life must go on, and I have two very important ceremonies to perform today. Dewflight, you are a brave and cunning cat who I know will help lead our Clan to greatness- you are the new deputy of ShadowClan." The black she-cat's amber eyes beamed with joy and determination as she nodded. The flash of white on her chest glowed brightly in the camp's gloomy lighting.

"Reaper, now that Twistednose is gone and we have no promising cats that show her past skills of empathy and compassion. I ask of you, even though you are new to ShadowClan, to become our next medicine cat. I know you have been in our Clan for a little more than a moon, but I was made aware of your exceptional talent for healing."

Surprise lit up Reaper's blue eyes, but pleasure seeped through his pale brown pelt from paws to ears. He was close a paw step closer to his goal. Raising his head high, Reaper smiled and said, "Thank you, Poolstar. I would be honored to be your medicine cat."

To his surprise, his, Dewflight's, and the names of their fallen Clanmates were cheered into the starry night sky, loud enough to tell StarClan. He joined in on the yowling and though silently. _I'm close to you, Mother. I will not let you down_.

As the Clan grew tired and retired to their dens, Mothleap stopped Reaper on his way to the medicine cat den- his new den. He looked at the golden she-cat, expecting a scolding. "I'm proud of you, you'll be a great medicine cat. I'm only sorry I won't be able to snap at you as an apprentice anymore," she purred sympathetically.

Reaper flicked her ear softly and purred. "You'll always boss me around, but this time I'll get to argue back. Get some rest now."

"Yes, oh wise medicine cat," she laughed, stalking towards her den.

Feeling weariness tug at his paws, but also feeling eyes boring into his back, he turned to see Poolstar staring at him. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Quickly, Reaper padded into the medicine cat den with the words: _the curses are gone when you look away. Prepare: they lie in wait,_ ringing in his ears.


	7. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Tonight was the night of the Gathering and would be the first time the other Clans would know he existed and was ShadowClan's medicine cat. Walking along the shore of the lake, Reaper padded beside Poolstar hanging his head low. Suddenly, a soft tail brushed against his flank. Reaper looked up to see Mothleap looking at him with kind green eyes.

"Hello," he meowed softly. His former mentor tipped her muzzle as they approached the RiverClan worker. She pointed towards a dark brown she-cat with darker speckles and a pale gray tom with long fur. "That's Ottersplash and Clovernose- the RiverClan medicine cats. Walk with them till we get to the island, and they'll tell you what to do," she purred. Reaper smiled and hurried off to the RiverClan medicine cats.

As Reaper approached the silky-furred RiverClan cats, his whiskers twitched with kindness. "Hello," he mewed kindly, his deep blue eyes shimmering.

Ottersplash twitched her whiskers and stared at him in confusion. "I've never seen you before…"

"That's because I joined ShadowClan a moon ago to be a warrior, but became a medicine cat about a quarter moon ago. We lost Twistednose, so I took over. I have a past of being a healer," he replied.

Clovernose twitched his ear and purred. "ShadowClan must be in good paws. I'm Clovernose, and this is Ottersplash. You are?"

"Reaper."

Ottersplash snickered and swished her tail as ShadowClan and RiverClan approached an island with a fallen log used as a bridge. "You kept your rouge name?" Before Reaper could reply spitefully, she continued. "Have you spoken to StarClan yet?"

"I hope to at the Moonpool," he sniffed, remembering who Twistednose and briefly mentioned the pool of pure starlight in which you touched your nose to in order to speak to StarClan. "And yes, I believe in StarClan and the Dark Forest. My mother was taught Clan beliefs from my father, who was taught by his mother, who was an ex-Clan cat."

Ottersplash only huffed and gained pace to cross the log. Clovernose hung back with Reaper and shrugged. "She's quite a grumpy toad," Reaper murmured. Clovernose snorted and flicked him with his tail. "And before she cut me off, I was going to say that I hope to be named by StarClan when I visit them for the first time."

The RiverClan medicine cat led them towards a clearing where Ottersplash, a mottled brown tom, a smoky gray she-cat with black legs and muzzle, a dark blue tabby tom, and a slender calico she-cat sat. _Medicine cats._ Reaper padded towards them with his tail kinked in a friendly manner. "Hi, my name is Reaper. I'm ShadowClan's new medicine cat." He dipped his head politely to the group of healers.

The dark blue tabby was the first to speak. "Welcome, Reaper. I'm sad to hear that Twistednose must hunt with StarClan now, but glad to meet you," he meowed friendlily. "My name is Rainstep, and this is my apprentice, Cloudpaw," he said, wrapping his tail around the pretty calico she-cat. "We're ThunderClan's medicine cats."

"I'm Mudsplash," said the mottled brown tom curtly. He grumbled something quietly and turned his head.

"My name is Crowfang," a smoky gray she-cat purred softly. Reaper smiled and sat next to Clovernose while waiting for the leaders to speak.

Poolstar was the first to speak. She rose her head high and spoke with confidence. "ShadowClan has suffered from a deadly disease called dandelion cough that we lost a few Clanmates to, including our deputy and medicine cat. Dewflight is the new deputy of ShadowClan, and Reaper is our new medicine cat."

"Dewflight! Reaper! Dewflight! Reaper!" cats of all Clan chanted, their clear voices filling the dark night sky.

Next, a dark ruddy Abyssinian tom with deep yellow eyes stood to speak. "Russetstar of ThunderClan," Clovernose whispered.

"I'm sorry to hear about your loss, Poolstar. But I'm also pleased to announce that Sunnyface has given birth to two beautiful kits," Russetstar purred. Reaper guessed that must be his mate and new kits we was referring to.

Tawnystar, the blue blotched tabby she-cat who was the leader of RiverClan spoke after Russetstar. "RiverClan has been well fed, and we are more than ready for leaf-bare. We also have three new apprentices: Willowpaw, Graypaw, and Stormpaw!"

"Willowpaw! Stormpaw! Graypaw!"

Finally, Ferretstar of WindClan spoke. "WindClan has been fine, and the chill has not yet hit our moor. We have been getting fat on our slow rabbits."

The second of Ferretstar finished speaking, the Clans dispersed to speak with one another. Reaper padded towards a quiet area to think about his new medicine cat colleagues. _Mudsplash is quite cranky, Crowfang is kind enough, Rainstep is quite friendly, and Cloudpaw seemed kind. Clovernose and I seem to have a nice relationship, though Otterpslash is a pain in the tail already!_

On the walk home, Clovernose and Reaper discussed what he would expect when he visited the Moonpool on the half moon. "You will speak to StarClan if you're lucky. The whole experience is incredible and surreal- you'll never feel the same again!"

"In a good way…?" Reaper addressed, a hint of amusement in his tone. Clovernose sniffed and shoved his new friend slightly. As ShadowClan crossed RiverClan's border, Reaper waved his tail to Clovernose as a goodbye and padded back to camp with his Clanmates.

As he was walking silently, deep in his own thoughts, Rockpaw rubbed against him with a gleam in his light blue eyes. "How did your first gathering go?"

Reaper stared at him, puzzled. "Erm… it went fine. The other medicine cats were kind enough, and Clovernose offered to train me if I ever need- "

The stocky apprentice silenced him by tapping Reaper on the bridge of his muzzle. "I don't really care. I just want to ask you… do you think about Shadepaw ever?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly.

The tortoiseshell-point tom was taken aback by the tom's question. "Well, yes of course. I think of how I could have done more to save her… but her paws were guiding her towards StarClan." He replied awkwardly. He didn't like how close Rockpaw was trying to be to him. _The little flea had been on my tail since I came to ShadowClan!_

Rockpaw suddenly bristled. "I blame you. I blame you for her death. You were, and are, and untrained medicine cat! Twistednose could have saved her life, but your stupid mange-ridden pelt brought that disease to our Clan and practically killed half of us! My brother almost died, too!"

The ShadowClan patrol suddenly halted and watched Rockpaw face Reaper with a burning fury. Reaper backed off slightly, but the apprentice growled threateningly. _It'd be a shame if ShadowClan lost another apprentice_ , he thought grimly. Rockpaw hissed and prepared to leap, when his father, Wolfheart, yanked him by the tail.

"Enough! You will show respect to our medicine cat!" the tom hissed, cuffing his son over the ear. Reaper watched with satisfaction as Rockpaw's shoulder hunched in embarrassment and fury. _Watch your back, Rockpaw. Next time you're mewing, injured, in my den… you'll have another thing coming for you…_


	8. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

 _ **I'm so happy you guys are liking my stories! Also, if you have any ideas or OC suggestions, shoot me a message and I'll do my very best to answer it! By the way, I'm drawing every character in ShadowClan, plus the members of Reaper's loner group, on my Twitter, DeviantArt, and Tumblr page! My name is Majestiiee on those sites as well, so give me a follow and check out some of my art! :D**_

Digging his claws further and further into the cat's shoulder, Reaper opened his jaws and let out a howl of triumph before sinking his teeth into the cat's neck. Once the tang of blood hit his tongue, he bit down harden until the snap of the cat's neck awoke him.

When Reaper opened his eyes, he realized he was lying in his nest in his den, his claws instinctively flexed. A warm tingly feeling raised the hair on his pelt as he relived his dream. Stretching, Reaper padded out the medicine cat den to see Dewflight organizing patrols, while Poolstar sat on the branch above her head, her clear blue eyes shining balefully.

He flicked his ear and went to check on Sootpaw, who he guessed was still asleep. Poking his head into the apprentice den, he saw the still-tiny black tom curled up in a tight ball, his littermate, Pebblepaw, sat over him licking his ears.

"Is he alright?" he asked the she-cat, ignoring her annoyed hiss.

"He won't stop whimpering," Pebblepaw mewed, laying her tail over her brother's shoulder protectively. Reaper shouldered past her searched the tom for obvious injuries. He relaxed briefly when he realized his hind leg was sprained.

He nudged Sootpaw softly. "Sootpaw, your leg is hurt. When did this happen?" he asked once the tom opened his copper-colored eyes.

"Poolstar didn't let me come to the Gathering last night, so I tried to sneak out once everyone left. I remember getting drowsy and ending up walking back to camp when I dripped over a dip and my leg hurt the rest of the night."

"Why didn't you tell me as soon as I got back to camp?" he asked, his temper rising. _This stupid scrap of fur could have broken his leg!_

"I fell asleep," he wailed defensively, shivering.

"Sootpaw," he sighed exasperatedly. "I'm a medicine cat for a reason- to help you. Stay here, I'm going to get some herbs. Quickly popping into his den and grabbing a poppy seed and comfrey. After wrapping up Sootpaw's leg and leaving the black tom to rest, Reaper padded out of camp to get some fresh air.

On the walk to the lake, reaper spotted Ravenstep leading a border patrol of Nettlefoot, Ravenstep, and Rockpaw. Ignoring them, he advanced towards the shores and calmly let the water lap at his paws.

The shimmering lake reminded him of the time his mother had taught him to fish in a twoleg pond.

"Sit still," Polar purred, resting her tail on her son's haunches. She crouched into a tight crouch and patiently watched tiny minnows swim in the pond that lay between the rose bushes and the garden wall. Suddenly, swift as a hawk, Polar stabbed at the water and pulled out a shimmering gray minnow. "Kill it!" she cried happily.

Excitedly, Reaper bit the minnow and held it up at his mother proudly. "I can't wait to be as good as a hunter as you, momma!" he purred, dropping the fish at her paws.

"You will be, my little killer," she purred, pulling her son close and covering him with affectionate licks. "Your father used to tell me the Clan of water could fish, but ShadowClan couldn't. When you join and kill each and every one of them, you'll make momma so proud. I'll be by your side the whole time."

"Promise?"

"I promise, my little minnow. Now let's eat!"

As Reaper relived the memory, a sudden familiar voice broke him from his thought and made him snap his head back. He saw Alpha's yellow eyes peering at him through the undergrowth, fierce and lit with excitement. Hurriedly, Reaper ran to his friend with confusion.

"What are you doing here?!" he demanded, looking around frantically to make sure Ravenstep's patrol was gone.

"I came to check on you!"

"I'm not a kit- I'm doing fine!" he snapped, his fur rising. "I'm their medicine cat now, but you need to leave _now_!"

Alpha hissed and narrowed his eyes. "Have you grown soft for these cats? Have you forgotten _us_? What about Polar?!"

At the mention of his mother's name, he swiped his claws at the longer, drawing blood. Alpha flinched and stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "You really have grown soft for these ShadowClan traitors…"

"I have not! I've been getting close to them so they earn my trust, idiot! I would never betray my true family," he hissed defensively.

"Reaper? Who is that?" Ravenstep asked, his voice distant.

"Hide!" Reaper ordered, pushing Alpha back and turning to face Ravenstep. "Huh? No one, Ravenstep. I was just talking to myself- trying to remember all the names of herbs is super difficult! What about you? Where's your patrol?"

"I sent them back to camp because I heard voices… and I'm sure I heard you talking to someone…"

"It's you!" Alpha suddenly cried, now standing up. His yellow eyes searched Ravenstep's entire dilute calico coat, and his bright yellow eyes. " _You're_ the tom that killed Simba!"

"Who are you?!" Ravenstep snapped. "Reaper! You said you weren't talking to-" Ravenstep's sentence was cut off by a shriek as Alpha hurled himself at the Clan cat and pressed his paws down on his throat.

"Alpha!" Reaper cried, racing to his Clanmate's side. "Get off of him!"

Alpha pushed Reaper away with a kick from his hind leg and snarled at calico tom. "No! This mange-pelt killed your mother's brother! He's the reason you're here!"

"Traitor!" Ravenstep croaked, letting out awful choking noises as Alpha sunk his claws into his throat. Reaper watched in horror as his ex-campmate sliced open his Clanmate's throat. He yelped and jumped back at blood poured from Ravenstep's neck and drained to the ground.

Reaper watched the life drain from Ravenstep's eyes, and Alpha snicker before dashing off into the forest. "Remember Polar!" he screeched to Reaper as he left. As the realization swept in, Reaper stared at his dead Clanmate with a powerful emotion shimmering in his eyes; _anger_.

Angry over the fact that Ravenstep had killed the cat who had left his mother brokenhearted, angry that Alpha killed Ravenstep, and angry that _he_ didn't get to kill him. "It was my task to kill the cats like you that live in our Clan, and I didn't get the chance," he whispered into the dead cat's ear.

In a burst of fury, he swept his claws across the dead warrior's face and watched him bleed. Furiously, Reaper snatched his Clanmate's scruff and dragged him back to camp.


	9. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

As Reaper padded into camp with Ravenstep's scruff in his jaws, Poolstar let out a wail and raced to the medicine cat's side. Her blue eyes were wide with shock and grief as the ShadowClan leader nosed the dead warrior's body. "What happened?!" she demanded, her eyes now sparking with rage.

"He was attacked by a rouge. A tom burst out of bush and attacked him. I was collecting herbs when I heard Ravenstep cry out, and then I saw him crumple. I'm so sorry, Poolstar- he was gone before I could save him," Reaper lied. His pelt tingled with excitement as Ravenstep's blood still clung to his paws and mouth. The salty taste bathed his tongue, and Reaper accepted it.

Poolstar swayed on her paws before collapsing. She let out quiet, heartbroken whimpers while laying her muzzle on Ravenstep's shoulder. Reaper brushed his tail over his leader's neck fur and glanced around at the group of ShadowClan cats gathering around their fallen Clanmate.

Before he could back away and retreat to his den, Mothleap laid her tail on his back and ushered him to the vigil. By now, the elders were preparing Ravenstep's body, and the ShadowClan cats were gathered around him in a tight circle of quiet grief.

"She was his mate," Mothleap whispered, wrapping her tail around her dark gold paws. "Poolstar and Ravenstep. They loved each other so dearly," she sighed, bowing her head. Reaper licked her cheek and joined her in the vigil.

After the vigil, Hollyfur and Raggedscar had buried the dilute caliby tom and retreated to their den. Poolstar was sleeping in her den, poppy seeds and thyme leaves in her belly to help her sleep. Reaper stretched and padded to the fresh-kill pile. He grabbed a rabbit and sat under the tree with brambles tangling in its branches to eat his prey. As he gobbled on his food, Berrypelt walked over to him and sat down.

"Can I help you?" he asked, his mouth full of rabbit meat. The amber tabby she-cat fluffed out her fur and sniffled. His deep blue eyes suddenly drifted to her belly. It was bulging slightly, even though she tried to conceal it. "You're expecting," he mewed.

Berrypelt's blue eyes widened in fear as she shifted uncomfortably. "Yes," she muttered quietly, her head bowed in shame.

He stared at her in confusion. "Why are you upset? Kits are a blessing. Who's the father?"

The queen suddenly sniffled, her eyes started to mist. "They're Ravenstep's…"

Reaper's eyes widened. He fought to keep an amused snort from escaping his mouth. _She's pregnant with a dead warrior's kits, and that dead warrior happened to be our leader's mate. Ahh, how happy I am to be alive!_ He shook his head disapprovingly.

"He said Poolstar wasn't able to bear his kits, and that he wanted a _real_ queen as a mate," she wailed defensively.

Still amused, Reaper flicked his tail dismissively. "No matter who the father is, you need some borage and some fennel." He guided her into his den and fed her the herbs, debating on whether or not to add some mouse bile to her remedy to kill her and the bastard kits in her belly. _Oh no, no, no- your punishment will be much worse, dear Berrypelt. You will bear the kits conceived from lies, and live every day knowing that._

He dismissed the queen with a flick of his ears and began to clean up his scattered and ripped leaves on the medicine den floor. Suddenly, fur swished against the entrance of his den. Reaper turned to see Poolstar wobbling in his den entrance.

"Poolstar? You're supposed to be resting!" he hissed, getting up to lead her back to her den. Instead, the blue lynx point she-cat pushed him down and stared at him through misty and grief-stricken blue eyes.

"The curses are gone when you look away. Prepare: they lie in wait!" she breathed huskily, shaking violently. Reaper stared at her with his ears slicked back in fear. This was the second bells Poolstar had said this to him.

"Poolstar… what are you talking about?" she asked, begging himself not to let his voice shake. And ominous presence felt like it was sitting on Reaper, crushing his lungs and digging its claws into his throat.

"They lie in wait!" she shrieked, racing out of the den. Reaper stared at the empty den entrance in disbelief and disarray. _The curses are gone when you look away. Prepare: they lie in wait…_


	10. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

 _Thank you all for your OC submissions! I'll be using all of them! ~Maj_

As the half-moon shone brightly overheard, Reaper waited by the RiverClan border for Clovernose and Ottersplash so that they would take him to the Moonpool. His nose crinkled as the scent of marshes and fishes drew closer to him. He was first greeted by Clovernose's kind yellow eyes before the tom picked up his pace and butted heads with the ShadowClan cat's head affectionately.

"Are you ready for your life to change?" he asked excitedly, making Reaper's fur fluff out self-consciously. Ottersplash snorted as she began to lead both toms to the Moonpool.

"He's a fluff-brain, Reaper. The Moonpool is magnificent, but it won't impact you as heavily as Clovernose says." A long and quiet walk later, Ottersplash stopped in front of a path with paw prints embedded into the path from years of use. Mudsplash, Crowfang, Rainstep, and Cloudpaw sat waiting for them in the chilly moonlight.

"Finally," Mudsplash huffed, standing up and following the ancient path. Shivering with cold and sleepy, the other medicine cats followed Mudsplash silently. Reaper's heart started to pound as a faint glow illuminated an open clearing.

He shouldered his way to the front of the group and stared in amazement at the beauty in front of him. The pool glittered like thousands of starts had liquefied and danced in the water. His eyes widened as the starlight reflected in his deep blue gaze.

Clovernose purred and wrapped his tail around Reaper. "Are you ready for your true name?"

"How do I do it?" Reaper asked awkwardly, shuffling his different colored paws. The RiverClan tom smiled softly and beckoned Reaper towards the edge of the pool.

"I, Clovernose of RiverClan, ask of my warrior ancestors to recognize this medicine cat. He was thrust into this position, though he has rightfully found his place. Reaper do you promise to uphold the medicine cat code and protect your Clan above all else?"

Reaper gulped, swallowing his pride and letting the lie roll off his tongue. "I do."

Clovernose purred. "Then from this day forward till the day you walk with our starry warriors, you shall be known as Spottedfoot."

"Spottedfoot! Spottedfoot!" the medicine cats cried excitedly. Clovernose nuzzled Spottedfoot's fluffy neck, his eyes shining happily.

"Congratulations, Spottedfoot. Now, touch your muzzle to the water and walk with StarClan," he whispered. The newly named ShadowClan cat nodded nervously and hunched over the pool, touching his nose to the water.

An icy chill shot through his body as darkness engulfed Spottedfoot. He opened his eyes slowly to see a beautiful, vast forest of shining cats all sharing tongues delightfully. He searched around the beautiful StarClan hunting grounds hungrily, trying to take in every beautiful aspect.

"Hello," a familiar voice purred silkily. Spottedfoot snapped his head back to see Twistednose standing behind him. Her pale orange eyes shined happily as Spottedfoot's pelt bushed up.

"Twistednose! I-I… it's incredible to see you!" he purred, nuzzling the old medicine cat. "I'm so sorry that you died. I could have saved you…"

She flicked her tail nonchalantly. "It was my time, though I would have preferred to mentor you and watch my Clan prosper under your authority. You will make a wonderful medicine cat, Spottedfoot. But… you have and will tread a dark path. Tell me honestly that you will defend and protect my Clan. Promise me."

Twistednose's eyes darker and seemed to tower over Spottedfoot. He unsheathed his claws in fear, bile rising in his throat. His mother's dying wish rang in his ears and he let out a feeble promise to her. "I… promise, Twistednose. Your Clan will safe in my paws," he whispered, his voice threatening to crack.

The dappled she-cat sat back on her haunches to stare at Spottedfoot. She started to fade away, but a deep voice echoed around the two cats. " _The curses are gone when you look away. Prepare: they lie in wait..."_

Spottedfoot's dark blue eyes cracked open. He scurried to his feet, breathing heavily, taking in his surroundings. The other medicine cats were arousing from their deep sleep, staring at him in confusion.

"What's wrong with you? Bad dream?" Rainstep asked, his voice teasing. Spottedfoot shook off the tom's teasing mew and raced out of the Moonpool, shouting over his shoulder as he ran.

"I'll catch up with you all later- I need to get to my Clan!" Twistednose's ominous words rang through Spottedfoot's head as he ran, his multi-colored paws barely touching the earth.

After what felt like moons, the medicine cat burst into camp, a yowl stuck in his throat. Poolstar flinched from the mouth of her den. "What in the name of StarClan has you racing in here like a badger breathing on your heels?" she snapped, stomping over to him.

Spottedfoot ignored her growl and stared around camp desperately. He couldn't shake off Twistednose's omen, the same omen Poolstar had told him before. _What is happening…?_


	11. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

 _ **Hello my dudes. Thank you all for the OC's you've been submitting! But one thing, please retain from making characters Spottedfoot/Reaper's mates. He's asexual and aromantic and kinda a sociopath. He can't feel love. The only cat he's ever loved was his momma. But please, keep giving me OC's! I love them! :D**_

~ 2 moons later ~

"Sootcloud! Rockjaw! Pebbleheart!" cats of ShadowClan chanted, calling the three new warriors' names into the sky. Spottedfoot sat at the entrance of his den, reminiscing when his Clan chanted his new name, though Clans normally didn't when regarding medicine cats.

He flicked his tail and padded over to the nursery where Berrypelt was grooming her giant belly. Duskspots, who was her expecting her second litter with Wolfheart was curled up in her nest, twitching her whiskers while she dreamed.

Spottedfoot sniffed the cream-colored queen and checked to make sure her pregnancy was still free of complications. "You should be due any day now," he mewed quietly, inspecting her bulging bump. She was the largest queen he'd ever seen. _Her litter will be huge._

"I'm assuming you've been getting questions regarding their father?" he snorted. Berrypelt flinched and licked her chest in embarrassment. He licked his herb-stained paws and drew it over his whiskers.

"That's none of your concern anymore," she hissed threateningly. Spottedfoot stared at her mockingly, waving his multi-colored paw dismissively.

"Of course it is, dearie. You should know that without me, your belly would burst and kill the kittens in there," he whispered silkily, menace tracing his mew. Berrypelt fluffed out her fur in fear. Spottedfoot traced her cheek with this tail tip before sauntering back to his den, looking over his shoulder with his deep blue eyes narrowed.

"Sleep well, my dear. And goodnight little kittens… stay safe!"

As Spottedfoot laid curled up in his nest with his tail wrapped around his nose, he thought back to the ominous warning Twistednose had told him at his first Moonpool visit. It seemed that someone was always whispering that same eerie phrase every time he was alone, making the fur along his spine rise.

As he started to slip into unconsciousness, an agony-drenched wail ripped through the ShadowClan camp. He immediately raced out of his nest to process what was happening. _Berrypelt's kitting._ Before he could run into the nursery, Duskspots shot out and cried for him.

"Spottedfoot! Berrypelt's kits are coming!" the queen cried, her belly swaying as she ran to him.

"I understand that. Go into my den and grab burnet, borage, and chervil- _now_. Sootcloud! Get water-soaked moss this instant and meet me in the nursery! Everyone else stay out of my way!" he barked, running into the nursery to see Berrypelt sprawled on the floor, her face twisted in pain.

The light amber colored she-cat screeched in agony, letting out high-pitched whimpers in between her screams. Spottedfoot started to massage her belly while Sootcloud gave her water. "Get her a stick. The first kit is coming out paws first, and this is going to hurt.

While he fed the kitting queen the herbs Duskspots had brought him, Spottedfoot prepared to press down on her belly- hard. Once Berrypelt was clutching the stick in her jaws and Duskspots was licking her head, the medicine cat tom moved her legs and pushed down on her belly until the kit slid onto the nursery floor. He bit the sack and handed it to Duskspots.

"It's not breathing. You know what to do."

"What's going on?!" Berrypelt cried, reaching out for her kit. Spottedfoot stopped her as he delivered the second kit.

"It's not breathing, but don't worry. Hang on, Berrypelt. You're about to meet your last kit." In final push and screech, the third kit was delivered.

He stepped back with Dusksposts to admire his work. Berrypelt was now licking her kits- two toms and a she-kit. One tom was a dilute calico- we looked identical to his father. Spottedfoot let out a little trill of amusement when he thought about what would happen if Poolstar was smart enough to notice. The other tom was black with a snowy belly, muzzle, under tail, legs, chest, and ear tips. He had dark rippling stripes and a sun-kissed gleam to his downy fur. The she-kit was white with a pale amber tabby tail, ears, and paws. She had a gold spot on her left eye and long, fluffy fur.

They were very beautiful kits, but Spottedfoot couldn't help but see their father in all three of them. "Congratulations, Berrypelt. They are all three quite beautiful, and you-know-who would be proud of you." He caressed her back and made sure the kits were nursing before leaving the nursery and sitting in the middle of the camp.

At once, he was stampeded by his Clanmates asking questions. "Is she ok? How many kits? Who's the father? Are they all healthy?"

As quietly as he could, Spottedfoot snapped at all of them to shut up. "Berrypelt and her kits are all fine- but if even _one_ of you visit her, I'll skin your pelt and line it in my nest," he grumbled, nosing his way through to crowd towards Poolstar.

The ShadowClan leader dipped her head to him. "Congratulations," she purred, her blue eyes misting. _She's probably thinking about how she never has, and never will, lay in the nursery caring for her beloved's kits. Oh contraire, my dear- your beloved has provided with offspring for himself._

"Congratulations to yourself," he meowed nonchalantly, whisking away before his leader could question him. Enjoying her shocked gaze, Spottedfoot padded to his den to sort through his dead herbs. Sneakily, he glanced over his shoulder to see Poolstar carefully enter the nursery, though Redsnow told her not to.

Heartbeats later, the blue lynx point she-cat stumbled out, her face twisted in pain, disgust, and a horrible realization. Spottedfoot could barely keep the purr from leaving his throat as she glanced back into the nursery once more before dashing out of camp into the pine forest.

Minutes later, a grief-filled caterwaul filled the forest, anger lacing its eerie cry. Spottedfoot sat on his haunches, grooming his pelt as he waited for chaos to break loose.


	12. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

 _ **Ey! I just want to again thank the people who sent in some OC's! For now, submissions are closed. In a couple chapters, I'll open them back up.**_ __

~2 moons later~

Spottedfoot grumbled as Lilackit and Bearkit tumbled around his paws, jabbing at his herbs and playing in his thick tail. Duskspots ushered her two kits back towards so that he could work in peace of Birdkit's bleeding paw. "This is why you shouldn't be exploring in my den," he scolded to dilute calico kit.

"Whisperkit and Nightkit dared me!" the tiny tom whined, wincing as Spottedfoot licked poultice into the wound. Birdkit cast a glare to his littermates, who were snickering behind their mother's thick fur. Berrypelt watched the medicine cat fix her son's paw nervously, ready to spring on him if he hurt the kit.

He snorted to himself once he was finished with Birdkit. "Keep a closer watch on them next time," he warned Berrypelt. "I don't want them frolicking in my den when I have herbs in there that kill them," he huffed. The pale amber queen hissed at him, drawing her three kits close to her belly.

"I can watch my kits just fine, thank you," she snapped, frightening Duskspots two kits. Lilackit and Bearkit let out tiny mewls, rushing into their mother's belly fur, cowering from the seething queen.

Quickly as she could, Duskspots ushered herself and the five kits out of the nursery. Spottedfoot stood nose to nose with Berrypelt, both of their pelts bushed in anger.

"Don't tell me how to raise my kits!" she hissed, unsheathing her claws.

"I wouldn't have to if you'd watch them! For StarClan's sake- this should be obvious, Berrypelt. Were you too busy rolling around with one of our Clanmates, ruining someone else's love life," he scoffed, deep blue eyes hardening.

Quick as a viper, the queen raked her claws across Spottedfoot's muzzle. Letting out a grunt, the tortoiseshell point tom licked at the dripping blood and stood taller, towering over Berrypelt. "I'd regret that if I were you," he whispered menacingly. "I may be your medicine cat, but I have the authority and power that should make your pelt crawl," he hissed, slowly slinking out of the nursery and out of camp.

Once he was out of sight, Spottedfoot started to run. Heart pounding, he zig-zagged through the pines, letting the breeze whip through his long fur. He jumped out holes and splashed through puddles, his heart guiding him where he knew he had to be.

After what felt like moons, Spottedfoot arrived in the Twolegplace where he was born and raised. Before he knew what he was doing, he crept through fences and bushes until he was staring down at the pond his he and his mother fished at.

Tears pooling in his eyes, Spottedfoot clawed at the water, letting out cries of pain as tiny fish darted out his reach. Furious and soaking wet, Spottedfoot turned, flinching when he stood nose to nose with Inferno, his ex-campmate.

"Inferno!" he cried, bushing out his pelt. The fluffy white tom, covered in scars, let out a huff of laughter.

"Ahhh, Reaper. It's lovely to see you once again. Have you succeeded?"

"In…?" he asked, lost for words. Seeing the tom had left him speechless, claws for words as though he was starving.

Inferno narrowed his yellow eyes. "Reaper… in killing the treacherous Clan. The Clan that killed Simba! Have you grown _soft_?"

"Of course not!" he snapped. "And my name is Spottedfoot now…" Inferno's eyes widened before he growled and crouching into a fighting position Spottedfoot knew all too well. Before he could turn tail, the white tom leapped at him, pressing his strong paws down on his throat.

"You _have_ grown soft for that Clan! You betrayed us! Just like when your new friends killed your mother's brother. What would Polar think of you now?" Inferno growled threateningly.

Fury blinding his vision, Spottedfoot let out an awful choking screech and sliced Inferno's throat. The white tom's neck cut as blood spilled out of the wound and his mouth. The sticky liquid dripped onto Spottedfoot's chest as he stared at the dying cat.

After one last gasp, his ex-campmate crashed to his side, his yellow eyes rolling back in death. Panting, the medicine cat stared down at the dead tom, the red mist from his eyes fading. He licked his blood-stained paws before gripping Inferno's pelt and throwing his body into the pond. "Never speak of my mother again, you filthy maggot," he hissed to the dead body, now turning the pond water dark red.

Silent as the wind, Spottedfoot crept out of the Twolegplace, his breath slowing as he returned to the forest. Sitting down in a shadowy glade, Spottedfoot let out rasping breaths, trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill from his deep blue eyes. _I killed him. I killed him in cold blood._ Shaking, the tom began to clean to blood from his pelt when he heard voices.

Intrigued, he snuck towards the singings until he saw Poolstar and Berrypelt. Quiet as a mouse, he watched his leader's pelt bush out.

"He was my mate! How could you?" Poolstar screamed in Berrypelt's face, tears streaming from her eyes.

The amber queen ducked under her leader's tongue lashings, shaking violently. "I-I don't know what you mean," she whimpered, her clear blue eyes wide with distress.

" _LIAR_!" The blue lynx point she-cat roared, her claws digging into the earth. "Birdkit looks just like _him_. Ravenstep… he was my mate. I loved him!"

Quivering and whimpered, Berrypelt covered her face with her paws. "He loved you too… but he said he loved me too," she whispered, her voice barely loud enough to hear.

Spottedfoot watched as Poolstar stood silently, her mouth twitching. Suddenly, quick as a flash of lighting, the ShadowClan leader barreled over the queen and sunk her teeth into her neck.

Berrypelt let out a cut off shriek as her neck snapped and her head lolled. Poolstar dropped the she-cat, licking the blood from her lips. Spottedfoot, his heart pounding against his chest, padded over to the she-cat's and sniffed at the dead queen's wound.

"Well… she's certainly dead," he whispered, sitting on his haunches. Poolstar sat next to him, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

"D-Don't tell any-anyone," she whispered, staring down at the Clanmate she murdered.

Snorting, Spottedfoot closed the dead cat's eyes and started to walk back to camp. He stopped, though, and turned around to look at his leader.

"Let's both pretend like this our first time doing something like… _this_. Poolstar, enjoy your stay in the Dark Forest. Keep an eye out for me once I join you…" With that, Spottedfoot turned tail and headed back to camp.


	13. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

Spottedfoot was licking his paw and drawing it over his dappled ears by the time Poolstar had run into camp in hysterics, wailing that she'd be attacked by a fox while walking with Berrypelt. While Dewflight ordered a patrol to find the dead queen and trace the fox, the medicine cat had ushered his leader into his den.

"Such a naughty leader you've been," he tut-tutted, placing two poppy seeds in front of her. "Lick these up and sleep. Roam around in StarClan while you still have the chance," he hissed into her drowsy eyes and blood-covered face.

Right on cue, Duskspots wailed in grief as Dewflight, Redsnow, and Rockjaw carried Berrypelt's mangled and bloodied body into camp for vigil. Stone-faced and monotone, Spottedfoot and the elders cleaned her fur and whispered a prayer to StarClan. The only time grief tugged at his hollow heart was when the dead queen's three kits, Birdkit, Whisperkit, and Nightkit, collapsed into their mother's lavender-and-lemon scented fur. Their wails echoed throughout the grieving camp, only to be gently coaxed back by Duskspots.

 _I assume she'll begin to care for Berrypelt's kits until they're weaned- which should be in a moon. I'll have to keep supplying her with borage so she can feed those three as well as her own two kits._ Letting out a deep breath, Spottedfoot bowed his head to blend in with the quiet ShadowClan cats

Before he knew, the dawn sun was rising above the pines and Raggedscar and Hollyfur were carrying Berrypelt's body to get buried. Stretching out his shoulders, Spottedfoot retreated his den to check on Poolstar.

To the tom's surprise, the blue lynx point she-cat was awake. Her clear blue eyes were shining with sorrow and dripping with tears. Spottedfoot snorted and kicked away some stale leaves. "Give up your pity-party. She's dead, and that will always haunt you," he muttered, the memory of him murdering Inferno still fresh in his mind.

"We were always close… like sisters. I don't regret it." Poolstar whispered, flexing her claws.

Snapping his head back, his deep blue eyes blazing with sudden fury, Spottedfoot glared at her. "Then get _out_ of my den!" he roared, unsheathing his claws. His long fur bushed out twice his size, fighting the ShadowClan leader. Voice full of menace, Spottedfoot growled "get out" before he could claw her.

As Poolstar scrambled out and fake limped to her den, he shudderingly felt a soft paw prod him in the hind leg. "What?" he snapped, snapping his gaze to the tiny Bearkit, who's copper eyes were as wide as moons.

"I-I saw a cat outside the nursery and momma doesn't believe m-me," he whimpered, shuffling his tiny paws. The kit's gray pelt was fluffed out in fear while speaking to the medicine cat.

Huffing like a badger, Spottedfoot allowed the kit to lead him to the nursery. Glancing around once before sighing, he crouched down to look Bearkit in the eye. "No one's here-" he started, his sentence abruptly cut off by a faint whine.

Ears pricked, Spottedfoot peered through the nursery walls to see a tiny pale gray-she kit with black ears. She had snowy-white paws, know dirtied from laying in the mud. Fast as a fox, the medicine cat raced out of camp to grab the kit. She was light as a feather and stinking of dead foliage and mud.

Quietly as he could, he snuck into his den and started to clean the kit until her fur was shining. Trembling, Spottedfoot checked her breathing, gasping when he realized how malnourished she was.

"Bearkit! Get your mother!" he barked hoping someone would summon Duskspots. Heartbeats later, the lilac mink she-cat cat burst into the medicine cat, her turquoise eyes huge.

He thrust the tiny kit at her paws and ordered her to lie down. "I- well _Bearkit_ wound her outside the nursery. She's starving."

"I understand, hush. I don't understand how I'm supposed to feed Berrypelt's kits, mine, and now _her_ ," she whispered, whiskers twitching in fear.

"Berrypelt's kit can start eating prey now, it'll be fine. Besides, you have more than enough milk. Stay here while I tell Dewflight."

Padding up to the deputy, Spottedfoot forced his fur to lay flat before opening his jaws. "Dewflight, I found a kit outside the nursery. Duskspots' feeding her now."

The black she-cat eyed him for many heartbeats before nodding. "Make sure she's healthy enough to stay in the nursery. Poor Duskspots will now be caring for _six_ kits, great StarClan!"

Ignoring her, Spottedfoot met up with Duskspots to help her settle her and the new kit into the nursery. He helped make a bigger, cozier nest and brought the queen a fat thrush to eat. "Thank you for caring for her," he whispered, embarrassed to suddenly care so much about a random, nearly-dead kit.

The queen stared at him in surprise. "Of course I'd care for her. I'd care for every single kit if I could," she sighed, most likely remembering her daughter Shadepaw. Spottedfoot sat for another second in uncomfortable silence until Duskspots spoke again.

"Wolfheart and I named our kits after cats and memories in our lives. Would you like to name her? You found her, and I assume you'd like to be a part of her life one day."

Pelt prickling with uncertainty, Spottedfoot stared at the kit. Greif suddenly split his heart when he was reminded of his mother. His mother's name. How she's been named during Frost, which was what they called leaf-bare. Her name had meant snow. "Snowkit," he croaked, her voice threatening to crack.

Right then and there, he made a promise to the tiny Snowkit. _I will protect and watch over you, little Snowkit. I'll make sure you grow up the right way- like me. We will one day destroy this Clan together…_


	14. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12**_

Spottedfoot let out a rasping purr as he dangled a dead leaf in front of Snowkit. The tiny white she-cat was letting out trills of excitement as she swiped at the leaf, her thorn-sharp claws extended. The kit suddenly grasped the leaf but let out a squeak as it grumbled and stuck to her ears and nose.

The medicine cat purred and cleaned her fur. Every day that she grew reminded him of his mother- powerful and intelligent. Though Snowkit only wanted to chase butterflies and play with his tail, she'd grow to do great things. _She'll be by my side now and always._

A groan cut into his thoughts from the medicine cat den. Huffing, Spottedfoot retreated into his den to check on Poppymask and Mistyeye who were recovering from nasty wounds from a fox fight. _The same 'fox' they presumed killed Berrypelt. Pathetic._ He sniffed the cut on Mistyeye's back, crinkling his nose at the stench. It was infected.

"I told you not to move," he growled, peeling off the crusty poultice that was smeared over the she-cat's back. His tail swished over the ground until he felt a paw press down on it. Turning to snap at the she-cats, he saw that it was Nightkit looking up at him with his wide amber eyes.

"Yes?" he asked as patiently as he could, forcing a smile. The black tom sniffed at the herb-scented air before shaking out his pelt.

"Mother- I mean… _Duskspots_ asked me to come help you." Spottedfoot stared at the tom kit. He was about to be an apprentice but had shown _no_ interest in medicine.

"Why? I believe Duskspots informed me that you'd be training as a warrior. Besides, I do not require your help. Go along, go play with your littermates," he meowed, ushering the kit out of his den. Letting out a snort of annoyance, Spottedfoot turned back to his patients and gave them a fresh dressing.

"You can move back into the warriors' den tomorrow, Poppymask. As for you," he said, pointing at Mistyeye. "You need to stay with me for another quarter moon." The half-blind she-cat let out a sad sigh and curled into a ball to sleep.

Poppymask gazed at him for a few heartbeats before rising to her paws. She nosed his cheek, to which Spottedfoot flinched and hissed. "Calm down," she soothed, motherly affection in her mew. Her tone only made the tom bristle more.

"You seem to be under a lot of stress. I'm going to take a walk. Why don't you join me and eat something? You're starting to lose weight." Instead of protesting, Spottedfoot trudged after the she-cat.

She waved at him with her tail before disappearing out of camp, leaving him alone at the fresh-kill pile. Grabbing a pigeon, Spottedfoot backed up to sit in the shady glen, only to be stopped as he bumped into Poolstar.

A sour taste formed in his jaws as he looked at his leader. She had grown quite unpredictable since Berrypelt's death- snapping at her deputy and refusing to leave her den. This was the first time he'd seen her out in the open for many days.

"How can I help you, oh wise leader," he growled, feathers muffling his voice. She snorted at him and led the medicine cat towards the mouth of her den. _I'm getting sick of everyone leading me…_

"Berrypelt and… _his_ kits are about to be apprentices. In fact, I will apprentice them at sundown."

"I could care less," he groaned, ripping a piece of meat from his meal. "None of them will be my apprentice anyways."

"That's not the point, you idiot! I want you to poison them. Put something that will turn the insides of their stomachs into ash," she growled murderously.

He slicked his ears back. "You're insane! I can't do that to so much future _potential_ …" he snorted. Poolstar hissed and unsheathed her claws.

"Kill them or I'll do it myself!"

"No."

Her blue eyes seemed to die and be replaced by a hatred-ridden mist. "If you don't help me… I'll tell everyone about our smart and perfect _medicine cat_ …"

"Tell them what? How I saved your Clan from a deadly disease, who I've delivered two healthy litters of kits, and that I saved my _oh so strong_ leader from _insanity_? You have nothing on me, you old fleabag!"

With that, Spottedfoot grabbing his pigeon and stomped into his den.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the branch for a Clan meeting!" Poolstar yowled, standing high atop the low hanging branch. Spottedfoot watched at Birdkit, Whisperkit, and Nightkit, freshly groomed, raced towards the front of the crowd, their eyes blazing with excitement. Duskspots and Wolfheart sat back, their eyes shining with parental love. _You didn't even birth them_ …

Poolstar started down at the excited kits with kindness and amusement in her clear blue eyes, her pelt slick and pretty. _What a lovely façade you have, my dear_ , he thought bitterly. Spottedfoot suddenly looked down to see Snowkit curling around her paws. He licked her head and relaxed.

"Hello, my dear. It'll be your turn soon.

"Hi, Papa! I know," she purred, letting out a yawn and laying in his fur. _Papa_. A name that she'd started calling him since she was able to speak. Instead of kindly telling Snowkit that name didn't apply to him, he always held his tongue. Her pretty stormy eyes would always light up when she called him that, and he didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise.

Closing his eyes, Spottedfoot remembered the conversation he and Duskspots had had a moon ago. She had reprimanded him for letting Snowkit believe he was her father, and not telling her the truth. "Why do you care? She knows you aren't her mother- and I'm sure he knows the same regarding me!" he had huffed, growling at the queen. Instead of arguing, Duskspots only said it would hurt him and Snowkit in the future.

Shaking away the thought, the tom pulled her close to his belly as he watched the ceremony. The kits had just taken their oath and were now being appointed mentors. "Sootcloud. You will mentor Birdpaw and teach him your patience and kindness. Pebbleheart, you will mentor Whisperpaw. Teach her your intelligence and excellent hunting techniques. Rockjaw, you will mentor Nightpaw. Teach him your strength and battle skills."

After all three apprentices had touched noses with their mentors, the Clan had cheered their names into the sunset. "Birdpaw! Whisperpaw! Nightpaw!" Spottedfoot chanted until he grew bored. He left Snowkit and padded up to Poolstar.

She had a pleased look in her eyes. "How did you like my little… _performance_?" she purred, his left eye twitching.

"Flawless," he mewed dryly. "Anyway- I've given your offer some thought."

"And?" she whispered excitedly, ushering both of them into her den.

He cleared his throat and looked her dead in the eye. "I will not harm those apprentices. If I find out that you have done something to them… well… let's just say it won't be just those three that I'll be guiding to StarClan. Not that you'd end up there," he growled.

"Be that way," Poolstar snorted, sitting on her haunches calmly. It made him uneasy. "Just sleep with one eye open… and watch over that little _Snowkit_. I see you've grown quite attached to her," she grinned.

Stifling his screech, Spottedfoot barreled into the leader and dub his claws into her shoulder. Blood started to drip into his paws, but he ignored it. "Touch one hair on her pelt and I'll line my nest with _yours_ ," he threatened, swiping her cheek before stalking out of her den.


	15. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13**_

Spottedfoot, with his nose low to the ground, jumped over holes in the springy earth as he searched for herbs, preferably catmint. Leaf-bare was approaching and Hollyfur was starting to show symptoms of whitecough. Suddenly, twigs crunched as paws thundered through the pine forest. Ears slicked back and pelt bushed out, the medicine cat stiffened as Birdpaw shot past him chasing a plump vole. Heartbeats later, the little apprentice let out a triumphant squeak, indicating he had caught his prey.

Groaning, Spottedfoot realized the apprentice had trampled a few springs of horsetail. He growled before marching towards the lake, hoping to at least find some water mint. As the tortoiseshell point tom padded along the lakeshore, a familiar mew broke his focus. Spottedfoot look up from the sand to see Clovernose grinning at him and waving his pale gray tail.

His heart lightening, Spottedfoot picked up his pace till he stood in front of his RiverClan colleague. They touched noses and smiled before sitting together. "Hello, my friend," Clovernose purred, wrapping his tail over his tiny paws.

"Clovernose- lovely to see you as always," he chuckled, licking his dappled paw and gliding it over his long whiskers. "Tell me, if RiverClan doing well?"

"We are! One of our queen's lost two kits and is looking a little sickly, but Ottersplash and I are taking care of her."

"She's in good paws," he purred, making Clovernose blush the color of his pink nose. "ShadowClan is doing quite well, too."

"That's wonderful! So, have you found an apprentice yet?" the RiverClan tom asked excitedly.

Spottedfoot grunted and flicked his ears. "All the kits we've been getting are deadest on being warriors. We just made three kits apprentices last moon, and we already have two more as of last night! Bearpaw and Lilacpaw were apprenticed to Dewflight and Poppymask."

"Congratulations!" the gray tom chuckled, smoothing the tuff of fur in between his ears. "Well… I should get going back to camp, Tinytail's bound to need a fresh dressing on her wounds. It's always a pleasure to see you, Spottedfoot," he purred, turning tail and racing back to his camp. Spottedfoot found himself snickering before he too turned and headed back to camp.

As the medicine cat entered the ShadowClan camp, he was greeted by distraught shrieks and cries. Fur spiking along his spine, Spottedfoot ran towards the commotion. Shouldering past his Clanmates, he saw Redsnow, Beefur, Sootcloud, Mistyeye, and Nightpaw bent over Birdpaw. The dilute calico apprentice had numerous gashing running down his tiny body and seemed to be holding onto his life desperately. Birdpaw was letting out tiny gasps, overwhelmed and clearly delirious.

"MOVE!" Spottedfoot barked at the ShadowClan cats, snapping at them with his jaws like a rabid fox. "Give the poor kit some space! Sootcloud! What happened to him?" he snapped at the black tom.

Sootcloud flinched, her lithe body already trembling. "H-He was training with me and h-his littermates. I let him go hunting while I-I helped Nightpaw with a battle move. A few minutes later I h-heard him screech in pain. I raced to his side and found him all m-mutilated."

Spottedfoot winced and swished his tail, feeling guilty that he didn't hear the apprentice screamed. His sharp gaze traveled up and down Birdpaw's body, examining the wounds. _Claws marks… too thin and agile to be a fox or a badger. Oh no…_

Intense fury overwhelmed the medicine cat as he ordered two warriors to carefully take the apprentice to his den and lick him clean. As red mist clouded his glare, Poolstar stood on her fallen branch, her icy blue eyes cracking. With his hawk-sharp eyes, he could see the stained fur around his leader's claw and teeth.

Letting out a throaty growl, Spottedfoot whipped around and raced to Birdpaw's side, tracing his paws across the apprentice's body. He furiously chewed up marigold and plastered the juice on the biggest gash- along Birdpaw's shoulder to his chest. Pressing his ear to his patient's chest, Spottedfoot breath hiccupped as he realized the young tom's heartbeat was plummeting.

After what felt like moons, Spottedfoot had gotten Birdpaw to a period of ragged gasps and a heartbeat that stopped beating every other breath. His whole body exhausted and shaking, the medicine cat licked the apprentice's cheek, a rare moment of tenderness for him. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," he kept whispering to the tom.

"You're barely a kit, hardly out of the nursery and you're already on your way to StarClan. I'm so sorry… I'll make her pay. If you die, little fledgling, she will pay," he whispered, voice full of hatred. A tiny muzzle suddenly poked through the entrance of his den, startling Spottedfoot.

"P-Papa?" a feeble voice mewed. His fur lied flat as he realized it was Snowkit.

"Come here, my little blossom," he purred, signaling her with his tail tip. His adopted daughter tiptoes over to her "papa" and snuggled into his long fur.

"Is he dead?" she asked with a heavy tone. Spottedfoot pricked his ears and covered her head with licks.

"I won't let him, my sweet. Now go back to Duskspots, I don't want her to worry." As he ushered Snowkit out of the medicine den, Spottedfoot picked up his pace and ran into Poolstar's den.

As if she was awaiting her _loyal_ medicine cat, Poolstar was lounging in her nest, her bloodstained paw propped up in the air. "I do hope my elegant masterpiece has paid off, my sweet Spottedfoot. Have you brought me good news?" she purred silkily, a devilish gleam to her already-mad eyes.

"You're a monster," he whispered, bushing out his pelt. "And I'll make sure he lives- just so your traitorous actions will forever haunt you when you see Birdpaw limp around with his _battle scars_." Spottedfoot barker, spittle flying from his jaws from his rage.

"I hope the little scrap stays forever a cripple if he lives," Poolstar roared, springing on Spottedfoot and sinking her claws into his pelt. "And if he lives, he'll only be my prey in the future…"

The second his eyes were closed, Birdpaw started to let out awful choking sounds, instantly waking Spottedfoot. He furiously glanced at the apprentice, examining the problem. Fear clenching his heart, the medicine cat raced to his secret stash of death berries and nightshade. He crushed the berries and leaves together and scooped it, tears falling from the pools of his eyes.

He forced the deadly juice into Birdpaw's mouth, massaging his throat. "I'm sorry, little fledgling. Your time has come and I can't let you choke to death and let your heart fail when you could die here in less pain." As the tom stopped choking and instead lolled his head before he stopped breathing altogether, Spottedfoot closed the apprentice's eyes and licked his ears.

"I'll avenge you, little Birdpaw. Tell your mother and father I'm so sorry…"


	16. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14**_

Wind whipping through his long fur, Spottedfoot ran through the shadows as he chased after a rabbit. His dappled paws slipped on the icy, leaf-bare ground but he dug his claws into the ground before bunching his muscles and leaping on his prey.

A crunch of the rabbit's spine cracked through the entire silent pine forest and the medicine cat's paws crushed the rabbit's back. Nipping its throat just to be safe, Spottedfoot licked his lips and extended a claw. Careful as if he was applying a poultice to an open wound, Spottedfoot poked many holes into the prey's flesh.

One satisfied with his handy work, Spottedfoot nosed around through the foliage until the sharp scent of water hemlock stabbed his nostrils. The crisp white flowers seemed to be the only herb growing in the marshy ShadowClan territory. The only herb not affected by the frost. _An omen. This is the right thing to do._

He plucked two flowers and started to chew them to a pulp. Once the poisonous herb was practically liquid, Spottedfoot pushed the justices into the holes in the rabbit's flesh. Quickly, the medicine cat ran to a puddle and washed out his mouth and tongue before returning to his work. It looked like a regular rabbit with its fur blown the wrong way. _She_ _'_ _ll never see it coming_.

Letting out a devilish grin, he grabbed the rabbit and padded back to camp. Dewflight sat near Poolstar's den, organizing two hunting patrols. Her amber eyes widened when she saw the rabbit swinging in his jaws. "Spottedfoot! You found something!"

"It's for Poolstar," he mumbled through a mouthful of fur. "She hasn't been eating. A Clan with a starving leader may as well be a Clan without one," he chuckled, shouldering his way through his skinny Clanmates.

Standing at the mouth of Poolstar's den, Spottedfoot took a deep breath and thought to himself, _you have to do this. She murdered an innocent apprentice!_ Suddenly, as though he were there all along, a dark sandy-colored tom with a scar beginning at this right eye and cascading down his throat appeared. Spottedfoot jumped, almost dropping his rabbit.

All around them, the camp continued around them, not missing a beat and walking through the sandy tom. "Hello there," he purred, his voice gravely and manic.

Spottedfoot eyes slicked back, his lips curling back. "Who are you?" he snapped, his pelt bushing up.

The tom wrapped his long tail around the medicine cat's throat and rubbed his flank against Spottedfoot's. He flinched away from the ghostly tom and growled. The tom only grinned widely. "Don't worry about anything, _Reaper_. I'm only here to watch you seek justice for a dead kit as if you have a heart in the pit of darkness in your chest."

"This is the right thing to do," he hissed at the tom. "She murdered him!"

"And you're so innocent?" the sandy tom inquired, his tone full of scorn. Spottedfoot growled at him and unsheathed his claws.

"Shove off- whoever you are," he snapped, pushing through the tom who dissolved into a puff of black smoke as Spottedfoot emerged into his leader's den.

The blue lynx-point was sleeping in her nest, her belly plump. _She's been hoarding food while the rest of us starve! I knew it!_ Suddenly, as he neared her, Poolstar's head snapped up. Her eyes had a misty glare to them, the only sign hinting at her faded sanity. She grinned widely and licked her paw.

"Hello, dear. What's that you've got there?" she purred, eyeing the rabbit hanging in his jaws. He threw it at her paws, a smirk forming on his lips and his skin tingling.

"I decided that you were right- we should join forces. Think about it! The two of us hold the most power in this Clan, and imagine what we could get away with together! You could rule this forest and seek revenge on every cat that's wronged you! That's wronged _us_!"

Poolstar's eyes shone with yearning. She held onto his idea like a starving cat holds onto the smallest piece of prey. _Not that she's anywhere close to starved_. "You've finally come to your senses, I see. Shall we feast?"

"Absolutely," he whispered, his dark eyes focused on her jaws as she tore off the rabbit's leg and started to chew. Heartbeats later, Poolstar started to choke and spit up her mouthful. White lather started to foam around her lips and her tongue lolled out, paralyzed. Her eyes shot to Spottedfoot, who stood over her, grinning wildly.

The ShadowClan withered in pain and collapsed to her side as the poison started to take away her lives, each death more agonizing than the last. Finally, as she held onto her last life, Spottedfoot thrust his face into his leader's. "Enjoy your stay in your eternal reformatory," he snarled into her dying face, overjoyed to see her blue eyes roll back. With a final convulse of her body, Poolstar's head smacked against the floor of her den. Dead.

Letting out a shaky breath, Spottedfoot hung his head and fought the urge to collapse to the ground in exhaustion. As he turned around to leave, the sandy tom appeared again. Just as he opened his jaws to let out a screech of alarm, the ghost tom barreled into the medicine cat and thrust his paw into his mouth.

"Hush now. Don't scream yet. Don't alert your Clanmates that your job is complete _yet_. Wait for a few heartbeats," the tom whispered into Spottedfoot's ear.

"Who are you?" he whispered, voice starting to warble in fear. The sandy tom only grinned his signature smile and hushed the medicine cat.

"Just think of me as your new best friend. Here to guide you and follow your every paw step, only to correct you when you stumble. _Son…_ "


	17. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15**_

Spottedfoot slicked his ears back, his heart pounding against his chest. "Did you just say… _son_?" he hissed at the sandy tom, who, as the medicine cat was just now noticing, had the same eye shapes. They had the same long ears, large paws, and even the same fluffy tail.

The sandy tom purred, eyeing the blood and spittle dripping from Poolstar's mouth and pooling around their paws, though the rouge tom didn't seem bothered by the sticky substance. Before Spottedfoot could open his jaws, the tom placed his tail tip on the medicine cat's lips, silencing him.

"Your deputy is about to find you- run. I'll visit you as soon as I can," he promised sweetly, blinking once before disappearing into a puff of dark smoke. His mind racing around like a dog chasing his tail, Spottedfoot started to hyperventilate.

His breath coming out in ragged gasps, Spottedfoot raced to his dead leader and placed his paws on her stiffened shoulders. Ripping open his jaws and letting out a bloodcurdling screech, the medicine cat snapped his head back as Dewflight and Redsnow raced into her den.

"What's wrong?" the deputy snapped, frozen in her paws as she glanced at the spit and blood pooling from Poolstar's mouth. Her black fur rose on end and pupils slit in fear.

Letting out feeble gasps, Spottedfoot hung his head to avoid the deputy's gaze, unable to even glance at the dead body. "I brought her some prey because I knew she wasn't eating," he lied. "I was checking her breathing and making sure she wasn't skin and bone… and then she started to choke. I thought she was choking on the rabbit… but then she collapsed and started to shudder. It was only a matter of seconds before… before I failed her."

Dewflight let out a weak whimper before crawled to Poolstar and burrowing her muzzle into her neck fur. "I should have served you for many more seasons. I'm not ready." Redsnow wrapped her tail around the deputy comfortingly, whispering soothing words while Spottedfoot slunk out of the den.

Spottedfoot sat in silence as he and his Clanmates sat around Poolstar's cold but cleaned body. Raggedscar, who had been Poolstar's father, leaned against Hollyfur as he let out quiet cries. Snowkit sat with her head bowed by Spottedfoot's paws, her shoulder sinking with sleepiness. He wrapped his thick tail around his adoptive daughter to keep her warm. Lilackit and Bearkit were sleeping near their mother's paws, snoring quietly. _Poor mites must be exhausted. They and Snowkit should be apprenticed in about moon._

Hours later, the sun started to creep through the dark shows, lighting Poolstar's pale fur. He nodded to Beefur Flintbelly to help the elders bury her as he escorted Dewflight out of camp and to the Moonpool. Slowing his pace to walk side by side with the mourning she-cat, Spottedfoot let out a quiet sigh. "I know you're upset, as is the entire Clan, but you'll be a good leader. You're smart and compassionate, and I know you'll do well."

Quiet as a mouse for many heartbeats, Dewflight finally let out a sob. "I saw her… I saw her kill Birdpaw," she whimpered, stopping in her tracks to glance at him nervously. Instead of answering, Spottedfoot wrapped his tail around her shoulders and looked into her shining amber eyes.

"I know. Believe me… I know. I've known the truth for many moons. She lost her sanity, if she ever had any, after Berrypelt gave birth to Ravenstep's kits. All you must do is pray to StarClan that you forget and make sure that you never make her mistakes." As he spoke to his future leader, Spottedfoot felt an icy claw pierce his heart. _How can I be polite and talk to Dewflight about Poolstar when I'm just as guilty as her?_

"Is that what you do…? You just try to forget?" she asked quietly. He nodded solemnly and focused on the terrain, leading them to the starry destination.

After a long and quiet walk, Spottedfoot arrived at the Moonpool. Dewflight caught her breath as she stared at its starry surface. "Dip your nose to the water to receive your lives," he whispered, hunching over and following his own instructions. Seconds later, the mottled tom fell into a deep sleep.

The second he opened his eyes, Spottedfoot knew at once he wasn't in StarClan's hunting grounds. The swampy and dead trees creaked overhead, and the murky, bloodied water gurgling near his paws. Scanning the area, Spottedfoot's deep blue eyes rested on Poolstar slinking towards him.

"You finally got me. I have to say… I didn't see it coming. You're braver than I thought you were," she rasped, exposing one claw to lift up his chin.

"I see you're where you finally belong," he hissed, pulling his head away from her. The ex-ShadowClan leader let out a rough bark of laughter, unsheathing all her claws and fluffing out her fur.

"Don't forget that you'll be joining me soon enough," she purred forebodingly.

"That may be so… but I'll gladly accept my fate knowing that you aren't there!" he snapped, whipping his tail and racing away from her sight. As if was running in circles, Spottedfoot turned to see the sandy tom laying on a dirty rock, summoning him close with a flick of his ears.

As if he were being controlled, Spottedfoot found himself approaching the tom, his heart pounding faster every step. "W-Who are you?"

"Your father," the tom answered simply. "I was the tom who taught your mother, Polar, all she knew. All that she taught _you_." Leaping off the rock and slithering around the medicine cat, the tom's eyes hardened with infinite secrets. "My name is Appleshade, son of Maplefur of ThunderClan. My mother, the darling fool, decided to fool around with my father, an iodic rouge named Rascal. I was taught the ways of a warrior, though my mother never returned to her Clan. I soon left my parents when I knew how to get away. Then I met your mother. She soon gave birth to you… but I left. I decided to be like my own father and leave both of you. Though, as if StarClan were punishing me, I was hit by a monster. I found myself in a shadowy clearing with a she-cat named Alderpelt."

"She told me that I had a choice- either to kill you and your mother and have another shot at my life, or watch over you but stay in the Dark Forrest till I fade away forever," he grinned, though his eyes betrayed a great sadness.

"So… you chose to spare my life. Why?"

"I couldn't murder my own son and mate. Besides," he added slyly. "You were my kin- you were destined for darkness and I knew your mother wouldn't be able to care for you properly."

Instantly, Spottedfoot growled and fluffed out his fur. "She did a better job than you could have!"

"Keep your fur on!" Appleshade snapped angrily. "Polar is dead anyway. In fact- she should be here in the dark, disgusting forest."

"C-Can I see her?"

"No," his father answered bluntly, becoming a puff of smoke once again. Furious, Spottedfoot opened his eyes and found himself next to the sleeping Dewflight, no doubt finishing up her nine lives ceremony. _I'll find you, father. You can't hide in that forest forever. I'll kill as many cats as I have to in order to confront you and be reunited with my mother…_


	18. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

 _ **Hi everyone! Thank you all for reading my story since I'm having a ton of fun writing it! I don't think I'll ever be able to leave the Warriors fandom- Haha! Anyway, Cursed Shadows will be ending quite soon. Sadly, the story will end at about Chapter 19-20. But let's get along with the chapter~**_

Spottedfoot grunted as a fly buzzed around his face. Flicking his ears crossly, the medicine cat leaped over the tiny bubbling stream when he heard the annoying squabble of his Clanmates. _They haven't shut their jaws since Dewstar returned- 'Congratulations! You'll make an excellent leader!' Ugh- shut up._

Grumbling crossly, the dappled tom held in a yowl as he tripped over a stone that rolled out of nowhere. Snapping his head back in fury, his eyes connected with the matching ones of his father's.

"What do _you_ want?" he snapped, his hackles rising. Appleshade ignored his son's barbed tone and gave the medicine cat his signature devilish grin.

"Now, now. That isn't the correct way you to address your father. _Son,_ " the sandy tom snickered, his whiskers twitching in amusement. Letting out a roar of fury, Spottedfoot lunged at Appleshade, only to fly through a puff of shadowy mist.

"Show yourself, you coward!" he yowled, flexing his long claws and searching the pines around him for a sight of the Dark Forest tom. A tail tip poked his shoulder. Spinning around with his claws extended, Spottedfoot eyed his father standing a mouse-length away from him.

"You can't hurt me while you're awake," Appleshade sneered, pushing the medicine cat forcefully. "Now you listen to _me_. You will never be able to get rid of me. You will never be free of my presence." Appleshade's mew rose to a loud growl. "You will _never_ see another cat or shadow without thinking of _me_ lurking behind you, waiting to sink my claws into your pretty little neck!"

With that, his father disappeared into a puff of smoke. Letting out a screech of frustration, Spottedfoot clawed at the frosty grass until all way left was upturned earth and crushed undergrowth. Lashing his tail crossly, the medicine cat gave one last look at the destroyed ground before racing back to camp.

"Snowpaw! Snowpaw!" ShadowClan cheered, yowling the tiny gray she-cat new name. Her mentor, Poppymask, stood next to the new apprentice smiling brightly. Lilacpaw and Bearpaw ran to congratulate Snowpaw while Dewstar sat with her mate and new deputy, Redsnow. The Clan had argued all night when the new leader had named her mate the new deputy. Everyone had finally settled that Redsnow was the best choice, for she was clever and compassionate. _Waste of breath_.

Letting out an impatient grumble as he padded back to his den, not bothering to congratulate his adoptive daughter. _She'll get over me soon enough_. His thoughts were wrong. Seconds after the medicine cat sat hunched over near the mouth of his den, Snowpaw dashed towards him.

Her pale fur bushed out in excitement, the little she-cat rubbed her cheek on her adoptive father's flank, purring loudly. Spottedfoot grunted and gently pushed her off. "I finally made it!" Snowpaw squeaked happily, trying to reach up and touch noses with him.

"Wonderful. Now you'll be out of my fur," he mewed dryly, ignoring the stung look on her face.

"Aren't you happy for me?" she asked quietly, shuffling her forepaws. "I would like to be a medicine cat with you… but the herb scent hurts my nose and— "

"I DON'T CARE! I don't _want_ you to be a medicine cat! I don't even care! I shoulder have left you in that glade to get scooped up by an owl just so that you'd leave me alone! Maybe _then_ I wouldn't have to worry about a tiny _flea-brain_ bothering me all day, interrupting my work!" Spottedfoot screeched, his voice loud enough to be heard through the whole pine forest.

Snowpaw stood before him, trembling violently. Silver tears tumbled from her crystal-blue eyes and trekked down her cheeks. Letting out a choked sob, she turned away and bolted into the forest. Bearpaw and Redsnow shot after her, their eyes wide with worry.

His breaths coming out in ragged cough, Spottedfoot glared at his Clanmates. They all looked at him in disgust and fear, petrified by the volume and cruelty of his words. Before he could turn and hide in his den, Duskspots launched herself onto him and claws his ears and muzzle.

"How could you say something so vile to Snowpaw?!" she screeched, her claws raking his face in fury. No one stopped her until Wolfheart finally gently pulled his crazed mate off of the medicine cat.

"It's ok, it's ok," he whispered into her ear, shooting a cold glare at Spottedfoot before ushering her into their den.

Shaking the blood droplets from his eyes, Spottedfoot licked a paw and drew it over his cuts, disregarding the pain. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning tail and slinking into his nest.

Waiting for him inside the medicine cat den was Appleshade. His father let out a snort and swished his tail over the littered herbs. "That was quite cruel, my son," he purred.

Spottedfoot ignored him and plopped onto his nest. "Not like I could try to parent her- I'd just end up like you. At least now she'll stay away from me and have a future. Now leave me alone." To his surprise, when he rested his chin on his nest, Appleshade was gone. _What have I done…_


	19. Chapter 17

_**Chapter 17**_

The full moon shone brightly in the dark night sky, illuminating even the darkest shadows. Cats of ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan sat before the towering branches the four leaders sat. Spottedfoot sat in the roots with Clovernose, Rainstep, Cloudmist, formally Cloudpaw, and Mudsplash. Ignoring them all, Spottedfoot grumbled and flattened his ears when Dewstar yowled for the Gathering to start.

"As you can all see, I am ShadowClan's new leader. Redsnow our deputy, Snowpaw has been apprenticed to Poppymask, and prey has been running well despite leaf-bare," Dewstar mewed proudly. Russetstar of ThunderClan, who looked old enough to be an elder, sat up straight to speak.

"Adderspots has sadly retired to the elders' den, but Fallownose has replaced him. Brokenclaw has given birth to a healthy litter. We've scented foxes near the border with WindClan, so look out for that, Weaselstar."

"Thank you for that," the WindClan leader mumbled. "Crowfang had sadly joined StarClan, but Mudsplash is doing exceedingly well at his duties."

Finally, Tawnystar of RiverClan raised her head to speak. "Both Shimmerfur and Tinytail are expecting litters and the river has been running well. Ottersplash has retired to the elders' den."

Spottedfoot finally turned to medicine cat comrades, rolling his eyes. "Well _that_ was uneventful," he snorted. Clovernose let out shrill of laughter. He turned his attention to the silky-furred gray tom. "It must be nice to not have Ottersplash's nose in your face now."

"I miss her bugging me, but I try to visit her frequently, the RiverClan tom purred. He and Cloudmist suddenly started to converse about cobweb strength, so Spottedfoot slunk away towards Dewstar. Suddenly, while walking, the medicine cat started to sink. He let out a yowl, but no sound tore away from his throat.

Blinking the hazy light from his eyes, Spottedfoot found himself in the Dark Forest. A growl bubbled in his gullet as he scanned the muddy surroundings. Heart nearly leaping out of his chest, Spottedfoot felt his legs buckle as his eyes landed on his mother's scarred, tortoiseshell fur.

Polar's amber eyes burned into his pelt as he tiptoed towards her. "M-Mother?" he whispered, voice quieter than the wind whistling through the trees.

"Well, don't just stare," she snorted in amusement, padding towards her son to touch noses with him. Her paws moved over the filthy earth as if they were floating. Her yellowed fangs glistened against the dim lighting. Her amber eyes burned like small fire in their hatred-filled depths.

"Why haven't you seen me before?" Spottedfoot asked Polar, his voice thick with emotion.

"You didn't need me, my son."

"I _needed_ you!" he cried loudly. "I still need you…"

She wrapped her tail around his shoulders, hushing him kindly. "I'm here for you, my little Reaper. As if your father."

Spottedfoot suddenly pulled away from her. "I hate him! He abandoned us! And t-then you died! You're _dead_!" he wailed, the pale brown fur along his spine rising.

His battle-scarred motherly only purred, through the sound was husky and threatening. "But we're here together now. _One big happy family_."

"No- no I'm not dead!" the medicine cat cried, unsheathing his claws. He could never hurt his mother… but this cat was _not_ his mother. "Who are you?!"

The warm, motherly love snapped from Polar's eyes and instead was replaced with fury. "Your _mother_!" she snapped, slicing his ear. Spottedfoot winced and cowered before her, trembling. Her tone instantly lightened. "My poor, poor boy. Your head has been filled with so many lies… Let me console you- forever."

He found himself nodding, as if under a trance by her cold, murderous, loving, _motherly_ eyes. Polar grinned wildly. "You've done so well, my son. You have completed your task. Now sneak away, walk into the water- let it engulf you. Join me," she whispered into his bleeding ear.

Eyes wide, Spottedfoot watched as she swished her tail before a blur of pale fur toppled into her. _Appleshade!_ He watched in horror as is father tore at his mother's face, ripping her fur and shredding her skin. Frozen in fear and dread, he watched Appleshade sink his jaws into Polar's throat.

A crack echoed through the entire Dark Forest, ending Polar's life. Blood gurgled in her mouth and poured into a puddle all around her as her ex-mate stood over her dead body. Regaining his mindfulness, Spottedfoot let out a wail and flung himself onto her fading body. Sobbing profusely, he shakily placed his paws over her wounds to stop the bleeding. Too late, for his mother's body gave itself a final shudder before fading away in a trickle of black smoke.

Tears pouring from his midnight-blue eyes, Spottedfoot weakly turned to look at his father, standing a few fox-lengths away from the blood. His muzzle had a deep gash that was bleeding into his mouth, but Appleshade didn't seem to notice.

"Why?" the medicine cat asked the Dark Forest tom, his voice cracking. He could feel his entire body trembling as he rose to his paws, a hatred deeper than any he'd ever felt brewing in his cracked heart.

Appleshade licked his bloodied paw, shrugging nonchalantly. "She was a pain in the tail. And tried to coax you to walk into a lake and _die_. If anyone is going to do that… it'll be _me_ ," his father winked.

His legs shaking, Spottedfoot unsheathed his claws and let out a caterwaul of pure heartache and hatred as he lunged for his father.


	20. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18**_

 _ **Two more chapters left! :'(**_

Spottedfoot flew through the air, his claws longing to claw his father's throat out. Just as he was about to make contact with the villainous tom, he collided into water. Letting out a screech of shock and outrage, Spottedfoot thrashed in the lake, water flowing into his mouth.

A strong pair of jaws suddenly sank into his scruff and started to pull the medicine cat out of the water. Eyes hazy, Spottedfoot looked up to see Clovernose dragging him onto the shore. Panting, the RiverClan medicine nosed around Spottedfoot's pelt, checking for injury. He put his ear to the ShadowClan's tom's chest, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Are you ok?" he asked nervously, thrusting his muzzle into Spottedfoot's cheek. The touch sent the dappled tom reeling. Flinching, he pulled away from Clovernose, ignoring the wounded expression on the tom's face.

"H-How did I get here?!" Spottedfoot demanded, his long pelt slicked to his sides.

"I saw you sneak out of the clearing and walk towards the shore. You were mumbling to yourself and looked like you were about to be sick so I followed you to make sure you were safe. You started to walk into the water while I called your name. You didn't hear me until you started to flail and I jumped in to grab you."

Shaking the water droplets from his fur, Spottedfoot snapped his head back, thinking he heard paw steps approaching him. Sneaking up on him. Clovernose's huge yellow eyes shone with concern for his friend. _He's suspicious of me_.

"It's ok, Spottedfoot. It just the Clans leaving the island. We should probably join them— "

"NO!" Spottedfoot snapped, his tail swishing to and fro in anxiety. "Quick, follow me." Before Clovernose could rebuff, he led the tom to the slope the led out of Clan territories.

"Where are we going?" the RiverClan tom asked, his mew starting to quiver. The ShadowClan tom ignored him, leading them over the tiny hill until they were well out of earshot of their Clanmates.

"What's going on? I'm confused-" before he could finish his sentence, Spottedfoot pinned him to the grass, lumbering over his pale gray body. Clovernose's eyes widened in shock as he tried to squirm out of the medicine cat's strong grip.

"I'm so sorry," Spottedfoot whispered, sorrow swimming in his deep eyes before he sunk his teeth into Clovernose's throat. The gray tom's pupils became slits as the horror wrapped around his brain. A loud crack split the quiet night air as the tom's neck snapped and his head lolled back.

When the tom's blood pooled onto his tongue, Spottedfoot instantly regretted his decision. He closed his friend's eyes and walked away, letting the clear tears fall from his eyes.

Spottedfoot ran up the catch his Clan as they crossed the tree bridge and padded home. He ignored RiverClan's cries for Clovernose, knowing that they'd never see their medicine cat again unless they found him over the hill. Quickening his pace, he caught up with Dewstar, who was walking with Redsnow.

"Where have you been?" the black she-cat asked, her tail intertwined with her mate's.

"I had to make dirt," he answered quickly, changing the subject so that she wouldn't question him. "You did well tonight. ShadowClan is lucky to have you as our leader."

Dewstar exchanged a happy glance with Redsnow and purred. Shaking out his fur as if ridding himself of the memories, Spottedfoot walked alongside his Clanmates quietly, letting his guilt sink into his already-broken heart.

As he lay in his nest that night, Spottedfoot kept thinking about Clovernose's face when he died. His pale-yellow eyes wide as moons, betraying so much heartache and betrayal. Sniffling quietly, Spottedfoot buried his muzzle underneath his mottled paws. He kept mumbling "I'm sorry" into the black night, praying Clovernose could hear him.

Once he drifted off the sleep, the medicine cat opened his eyes to see Appleshade standing over him. "Now, now my son. Don't worry… he can't hear your apologies from here," he grinned.

Weakly rising to his paws, Spottedfoot looked at his father in misery. "Why are you doing this to me?" he asked, his voice shaking violently.

"Because you don't deserve a chance. You had your chance when you were young- when you were pure. But Polar tainted your mind- she ruined you! And _you_ let her! _That's_ why I have come. You don't deserve happiness!"

"You don't either!" he cried. "You're a murderer! You are as sinned as me! _You_ left us! You could have changed her! You could have saved _me_!"

"It's a little late for you," Appleshade growled. "And it's _much_ too late for your mother."

Something in his chest snapped, destroying the last piece of his heart. Spottedfoot hung his head and crumpled to the ground, his sobs echoing throughout the entire Dark Forest.

Appleshade curled around him paternally, licking the tuft of fur in between his ears. "Don't grieve, my son. You will always have me," he whispered into Spottedfoot's ear, his tone sharp with malevolence and scorn.

Slowly opening his eyes and staring into the twin orbs of his fathers', the ShadowClan tom let out a tremble before thrusting his nose into Appleshade's cheek. He raised his muzzle slightly to whisper into his father's ear. "You have ruined my life… and now I'll end yours."

Spottedfoot suddenly flipped his father over and tore up his face with his claws, each blow representing a scar his father had left in his life. "This is for my mother," he growled with a swipe. "This is for leaving! And _this_ is for ruining my life!" he grunted, ripping at his father's cheek to his neck.

Leaping back, Spottedfoot watching as Appleshade gulped for life before ultimately tremoring and dying. He watched in awe as the sandy, bloodied tom faded into a trickle of smoke. His whole body tingled with adrenaline and psychotic joy once Appleshade's body was gone. _Forever_.

Tilting his head back and letting out gasps of deranged laughter, the medicine cat howled like a rabid dog before rolling into the pool of his father's blood, relishing the hot, sticky substance as is sank into his fur. "I'M FREE!" he screeched into the grimy forest, his evil laughter echoing through the dead trees.


	21. Chapter 19

_**Chapter 19**_

~Six moons later~

Spottedfoot closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath of the pine-scented breeze. Since Appleshade's death, the ShadowClan tom had been labeled crazy but his Clan. His Clanmates gave up on visiting him for injuries and illness and instead going straight to his apprentice, Honeypaw. The bright young she-cat was quite popular and had a natural gift for healing. She was the daughter of Poppymask, though Beefur and Pineclaw raised her and her two littermates, Slatepaw and Nutpaw.

The new warriors, Whisperstep, Nightstorm, Lilacbreeze, and Bearheart, paraded into camp, their jaws laden with prey. The young warriors had proudly declared that they were going to be ShadowClan's best warriors and defend their Clan with tooth and claw.

Pebbleheart laid in the nursery, her bulging belly rising and falling as she slept peacefully. No one knew who the father of her kits was, thought the elders never ran out of ideas. As for the elders, Raggedscar joined StarClan days after the Gathering. Mistyeye and Wolfheart had joined the elders to keep Hollyfur company, complaining they felt age tug at their graying paws.

Duskspots had also joined StarClan. An infection from a rat bite left untreated had resulted in the pretty she-cat's final fate. _That was when they stopped believing in me_ ," Spottedfoot thought. _I let her die… I didn't want to help her. Honeypaw tried her best, though not thanks to my training. I speculate that she's being trained in StarClan- maybe be Clovernose._

Clovernose's body had been found a week after the RiverClan tom's death. A WindClan patrol had scented death and assuming it had been the fox that strayed across their borders, brought the tom's mutilated body to his home Clan. Ottersplash had been forced out of retirement to train an apprentice so that RiverClan could have a healer.

Shaking his head, Spottedfoot turned to see why his Clanmates were gathering before Dewstar. The black she-cat fur was bushing with excitement. "I have two pieces of good news!" She summoned her mate and deputy, Redsnow, forward happily. "Thanks to Nettlefoot agreeing to father our kits, Redsnow is expecting! We're going to be mothers!" she cried excitedly.

Once the Clan had calmed down from the kit excitement, Dewstar beckoned Poppymask and Snowpaw forward. _She's becoming a warrior. It's what she's always wanted. I should be there with her… no. She's better off without me._ He swallowed roughly and watched as Dewstar made the young she-cat swear an oath before naming her Snowfoot. Spottedfoot felt a tear slip out of his eye as he repeated her new warrior name in his head. _Snowfoot…_

Before he understood what was happening, Snowfoot padded up the medicine cat. Her pale gray fur had grown long and sleek, and her dark blue eyes shone with courage and twinkle of fear. He sat up straighter, though his heart beat against his chest and his claws tingled.

"Congratulations," he mewed, his voice barely shaking. She dipped her head respectfully.

"I chose it- my name. I asked Dewstar to be named after you…"

"Why?" Spottedfoot asked, his tone laced with tension.

The pale gray she-cat flinched slightly, but she squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Because you are my papa- whether you accept it or not. You raised me— "

"Stop it. I'm not your father. I just found you and made sure you didn't die of malnutrition," he whispered heavily. Spottedfoot's fur started to bush up. Voices swam around his head. _"You're no better than your own father! You'll ruin the poor mite! GET HER AWAY FROM US!"_

Trembling, the medicine cat started to back up slowly, but Snowfoot persisted, fresh tears swimming in her large eyes. "You are my papa. You raised me. You cared for me. You are my papa!" she started to cry, her voice tight with emotion.

"I'm _not_ ," he snapped, the voices starting to pound against his skull.

"You're my papa!" Snowfoot cried, leaping in front of him and thrusting her muzzle into his face. "Admit it! Tell me that you love me and that I am your daughter! Please- don't leave me! Please, Papa!"

By now, all of ShadowClan sat huddled near each other, watching the young warrior and medicine cat face each other.

"ENOUGH!" Spottedfoot yowled, his voices screeching along with him. He stood towering over Snowfoot, the misery and terror in his eyes bulging out. Then, out of spite and under the coaxing of the tiny voice in his head most like his mother's, he raised an unsheathed paw.

Swift as an adder, he tore his claws across her pretty face from her left ear to her right eye. Shock pulsed through Snowfoot's face as droplets of blood fell from the open gashes on her face. _"Again,"_ the motherly voice whispered.

Sobbing, Spottedfoot stuck her again, this time on her left eye and cheek. Before he could claw her again, Dewstar slammed into the medicine cat and pressed her paw onto his throat. "Get out!" she spat, amber eyes wild with terror and revulsion. "Leave my Clan- _NOW_!" she roared, shoving Spottedfoot away from her and claws at his heels as he scrambled out of camp.

Flintbelly, Mothleap, Rockjaw, and Beetlefang raced after him, clawing at the ex-ShadowClan cat and forcing him towards the twolegplace he came from. As the violent patrol shoved him into a nearby Thunderpath, Mothleap nosed herself towards the front of the group.

"How could you?" she whispered, her eyes shining with pain.

"I regret nothing," he whispered back at her. Standing tall, Spottedfoot padded towards the other side of the Thunderpath, only a single, thin strip of black tar separating him and his Clanmates. "Ravenstep was killed by my ex-campmate. His son, Birdpaw was killed by Poolstar. As was Berrypelt. Shadepaw, Darkear, Emberwing, and their kits were killed by a disease I probably brought in. I killed Clovernose! I killed Poolstar! And you'll never find me!" Spottedfoot roared, his eyes flashing wildly.

Just as the ShadowClan cats were about to pounce on him and tear him to shreds, a monster roared past them on the Thunderpath. When it passed, Spottedfoot was gone…


	22. Chapter 20

_**Chapter 20**_

 _ **The last chapter is here! Ahh- I'm so sad that Cursed Shadows is ending, but it's been such a lovely experience! I fell in love with these characters and all of you have been so kind! Thank you so much for this lovely journey! So much love, ~Sydney.**_

~Many Moons Later~

Spottedfoot let out shrill bout of laughter as he poked his claw through the fish he had just caught. He kept poking it until it looked like chewed up meat. Finally growing bored, he kicked the prey away. _"You don't need to eat."_ His father's voice whispered in his ears.

"But I'm hungry," he complained, using the kit voice he did to get his mother's voice to emerge. _"Hush. Go home."_ the voice ordered, giving the rouge no time to object.

Paws dragging over the freezing Thunderpath, Spottedfoot looked up to see his den. He lived in a rotten tree stump barely wide enough to fit his body. The den stank of dank moss and his stench, but Spottedfoot didn't mind. _The voices say they like the den! I like it too, then!_

As he padded into his den, his bony haunches shaking, the rouge's ears suddenly perked up. _Paw steps._ Fur bristling, Spottedfoot backed as far as he could into his home and started to shiver in fear and cold. Heartbeats later, a she-cat poked her head through the dead underbrush that bordered his den and the Thunderpath.

Her face was torn in many places. Fur only grew on the right side and on her chin. One eye was sealed shut and the other was clouded. Her ears were shredded beyond belief and scars lined the pink flesh of her face. _Snowfoot…_

"I can scent you. Come out here at _once_!" the ShadowClan she-cat barked roughly. Cowardly, Spottedfoot slunk out of the tree stump and stood trembling before her.

Snowfoot's whole exterior had changed. Her once-pretty pelt was littered with scars and her eye shone with such hurt it was unable to look at. "Look me in the face," she hissed. Hunching down, the pale gray she-cat glared at her ex-Clanmate. "Look what you did to me."

He opened his mouth to say he's sorry for everything he'd ever done to her, but a voice piped in at the last moment. _"Hold your jaws shut and kill her!"_

"I figured you would have nothing to say," Snowfoot snorted. She lashed her tail roughly before shoving him. "Sit down and listen to what I have to say! You will listen to me until I decide to kill you!"

"Snowfoot," Spottedfoot croaked, the empty hole where his broken heart was swelled with fresh grief.

"That is _not_ my name!" she roared, her eye flashing with rage. "My name is Noface! A name I gave to myself when I saw what you had done to me!"

"I'm sorry—" he stooped himself. The voice would be angry if he disobeyed them.

"Shut it!" Noface snapped, clawing his shoulders. Spottedfoot cried out in pain but held in another yowl. "As I was saying… ShadowClan has been purged of the _disease_ that you were. We have finally recovered from the scars _you_ caused! I am there deputy- and I will be their leader. I will soon have ShadowClan all to myself, and I will make sure every trace of you is forgotten! My Clan will live up to its powerful name once again. Once _you_ are gone. For good."

Instead of holding up his head proudly, Spottedfoot sunk to the ground in a fit of sobs. "Please… please don't kill me! The voice will be so angry! Oh- they'll be so mad! Please! Don't hurt me!" he mewled.

Instead of sympathy, the rouge was answered in another scratch, this time across his eyes. Blood instantly welled into his deep blue eyes and swallowed the light. Spottedfoot cried out in pain and began to thrash out his limbs.

With strong paws, Noface held him down and bit down on her scruff. Blind to everything, Spottedfoot kept letting out cries and begged for his life. "The voice!" he shrieked. "THEY WILL KILL US ALL!"

Suddenly, water splashed at his fur. Noface began to drag his bony, skinny body into a large pond. Once the water was lapping at her chest, she dug her claws into Spottedfoot's shoulders and pushed him down.

Choking sounds echoed the area as the rouge began to slowly and painfully die. Water engulfed his lungs. Blood from his wounds painted the clear water and stained Noface's paws. Finally, he stopped struggling. Spottedfoot's strength ebbed away immediately and all his muscles went slack. With a final and feeble sound, the rouge felt everything disappear.

Noface let out a harsh gasp and ran to the ground. Panting furiously, she watched Spottedfoot's body bob twice before sinking slowly. A tear threatened to spill from her good eye, but she held it in. Turning tail and beginning to walk back to camp, Noface whispered a prayer to the Dark Forest that he would get every single punishment he deserved. "Goodbye… Papa…"


End file.
